Melissa Etheridge said her “heart is broken” after her 21-year-old son died following a battle with drug addiction.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter said Beckett Cypher, one of her two children with former partner Julie Cypher, had struggled with opioid abuse and died on Wednesday.
Following his death, the American musician released a statement, in which she said she knew her son “is out of pain now”.
She said: “Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction.
“My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends.
“My heart is broken. I am grateful for those who have reached out with condolences and I feel their love and sincere grief.
“We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of the pain now.”
The singer added: “I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me.”
The 58-year-old is best-known for the songs Black Velvet, Ain’t It Heavy and Come To My Window.
She and her former partner, who she split with in 2000, also have a daughter, Bailey.
Both children were conceived using artificial insemination and the sperm donor was later revealed to be singer David Crosby.
Melissa discussed bringing up her two children during a 2000 TV interview.
“I do not believe that my children will be wanting in any way because they didn’t have a father in the home every single day,” she said.
“What they have in the home is two loving parents. I think that puts them ahead of the game.”
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