Amy Winehouse Dead: Father to Launch Foundation to Help Drug Abusers
Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch, has revealed that he plans to set up a foundation to help young people struggling with drug addiction, and claims that his daughter had conquered her own struggle with substance abuse years ago.
Speaking to a room full of Amy’s family and closest friends at a private funeral in London on Tuesday, Mitch Winehouse said he plans to set up the foundation in the late singer’s name, according to media reports.
Winehouse did not offer any details as to when the foundation might be up and running, but said he would be getting assistance from Parliamentary Member Keith Vaz.
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Vaz told the BBC that he was happy to “help rehabilitate those most vulnerable in our society.”
The bereaved father insisted that his daughter had overcome her drug addiction issues long ago, which contradicts many widespread conjectures that the young star might have died from drug-related issues.
The Grammy-winning singer sometimes appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol in public, including during many of her shows.
“Three years ago, Amy conquered her drug dependency, the doctors said it was impossible but she really did it,” Winehouse said, reports the Daily Mail. “She was trying hard to deal with her drinking and had just completed three weeks of abstinence (treatment)."
Also revealing details of Amy’s death, Winehouse said the 27-year-old star, who was found dead July 23, was not depressed but was in fact “in good spirits” when she passed away.
“But knowing she wasn't depressed, knowing she passed away, knowing she passed away happy, it makes us all feel better,” he told mourners.
Also in attendance at Winehouse’s funeral Tuesday were music producer Mark Ronson, close friend Kelly Osbourne, Winehouse’s goddaughter Dionne Bromfield, and many others from the music and entertainment industries.
An autopsy performed Monday failed to find the cause of the singer’s death. The results of toxicology tests, which could take weeks to develop, are expected to offer greater insight as to what might have killed Winehouse.
