Scott Weiland's Family: 'Don't Glorify This Tragedy'

[lovemydog]

Mary Forsberg Weiland is the mother of the late singer Scott Weiland's teenage children, Noah, 15, and Lucy, 13. She wrote this with their help in the days after his death on Dec 3rd.

December 3rd, 2015 is not the day Scott Weiland died. It is the official day the public will use to mourn him, and it was the last day he could be propped up in front of a microphone for the financial benefit or enjoyment of others. The outpouring of condolences and prayers offered to our children, Noah and Lucy, has been overwhelming, appreciated and even comforting. But the truth is, like so many other kids, they lost their father years ago. What they truly lost on December 3rd was hope....

This is the final step in our long goodbye to Scott. Even though I felt we had no other choice, maybe we never should have let him go. Or maybe these last few years of separation were his parting gift to us – the only way he could think to soften what he knew would one day crush us deep into our souls. Over the last few years, I could hear his sadness and confusion when he'd call me late into the night, often crying about his inability to separate himself from negative people and bad choices. I won't say he can rest now, or that he's in a better place. He belongs with his children barbecuing in the backyard and waiting for a Notre Dame game to come on. We are angry and sad about this loss, but we are most devastated that he chose to give up.

Noah and Lucy never sought perfection from their dad. They just kept hoping for a little effort. If you're a parent not giving your best effort, all anyone asks is that you try just a little harder and don't give up. Progress, not perfection, is what your children are praying for. Our hope for Scott has died, but there is still hope for others. Let's choose to make this the first time we don't glorify this tragedy with talk of rock and roll and the demons that, by the way, don't have to come with it. Skip the depressing T-shirt with 1967-2015 on it – use the money to take a kid to a ballgame or out for ice cream.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/scott-weiland-s-family-dont-glorify-this-tragedy-20151207?page=2

[bettyellen]

1. Very brave of her to be honest about it at this time. BTW, I think for copyright purposes....

the Admins here want you to shorten the excerpt to three paragraphs, or they could get fined.
Great post though!

[lovemydog]

2. Yes, her book is great too. It's called Fall to Pieces.

She's been through an awful lot, and works with kids who have addict parents.

Thanks for the reminder bettyellen. I shortened it to three paragraphs. I hope anyone interested will click on the link and read the entire letter.

[liberal_at_heart]

3. Wow. That is powerful. I feel horrible for those children. My sister in law is deep in her

drug addiction. She is the worst I have ever seen her. In fact, we just told my brother she is no longer welcome in our home because she asked our daughter if her grandmother had any prescription meds she could get for her. I can't imagine the turmoil her addiction has caused my niece. I just hope my sister in law doesn't meet the same fate that Scott Weiland has.

[lovemydog]

4. I'm so sorry to hear that liberal_at_heart.

I wish you and your family all the best. Progress not perfection.

[liberal_at_heart]

5. Thank you lovemydog.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. That is really sad. Drug addiction wrecks families

[liberal_at_heart]

7. The letter that Scott Weiland's ex wrote is so true. You lose the person you care about long

before they die and the desperate hope they will get better is all you are left with.

[cbdo2007]

8. Well he was a drug addict long before he was a father so as sad as it is for those kids this story

was written from the start.