RIP.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jun 02, 2016
After Prince's death in April, nobody was certain what his cause of death was. With toxicology tests taking over six weeks to find a conclusive COD, assumptions ranged from foul play to exhaustion to AIDS.
But now, officials are claiming that Prince died of an opioid overdose from the drug Fentanyl.
With multiple reports alleging that Prince had an addiction to opioids, here are five things you need to know about his overdose.
1. His addiction spanned for decades.
Prince's half-siblings revealed that the singer was addicted to Percocet for decades, and had used the drug to help him cope with performing, not for recreational use. Law enforcement found prescription opioid medication in Prince's Minnesota home.
2. He may have been using pills to cope with pain.
Because his performances were so rigorous, Prince may have turned to Percocet and other drugs to help with the “debilitating pain.”
3. He was meeting with doctors to beat his addiction.
Weeks before his death, the singer had met with Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg, a doctor who worked a clinic near Prince's home, to treat Prince's withdrawal symptoms. Schulenberg prescribed Prince medication, though it's unknown what the pills were and whether or not Prince took them. Prince was also allegedly going to meet with a doctor the day after his death to help with his addiction.
4. But he passed before he could get proper help.
Prince also sought the help of Dr. Howard Kornfield, a pain and addiction specialist, less than 12 hours before his body was found, seeking help to get off painkillers. Kornfield was unable to travel to Minnesota, so he sent his son, a certified doctor, to prescribe an opoid to treat the addiction.
5. Weeks before his death, his plane had made an emergency landing.
The plane had made an emergency stop for medical treatment when Prince was returning from Atlanta. Sources say that Prince was found unconscious on the plane and was given a shot of Narcan, an antidote for opioid overdose.
Though we have lost many successful and talented musicians and performers over the years, it's important to remember that their addictions or illnesses don't define them. We need to remember Prince as an amazing performer who changed music forever, and for the better.