Melissa Etheridge Opens Up About Late Son's Overdose: 'I'm Not Going To Take Any Guilt Or Shame'

Musician Melissa Etheridge has reflected on the demise of her son, Beckett.

At the age of 21, he passed on after overdosing on opioids, one of the drugs he was known to have indulged in for years. Following his death in 2020, Etheridge mourned him on Instagram, sharing at the time that his friends and family would miss him.

Per recent reports, the singer shared that she has moved on with her life, saying she feels no guilt or shame over Beckett's tragic demise. She also stated that her son wouldn't want her to ruin her life because of his choices.

Read on to learn more.

In an interview with Page Six, the singer shared her thoughts about her son's demise. Named Beckett, Etheridge's son died in May 2020 at 21, after his addiction to opioids spiraled into a worse state and led to him overdosing at the time.

"We can all choose every day, whether it's love or fear, and my son made his choices, and I did the best I could as a mom, and I'm not going to take any guilt or shame," she told the publication at the premiere of her off-Broadway show, "My Window - A Journey Through Life."

The singer also said that her son "wouldn't want [her] to stop and ruin [her] life because of his choices." Alongside obeying his wishes, Etheridge also shared that "having a deep spiritual belief that we all make our own choices" was key to her decision to continue living and pursuing her career after Beckett's death.

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At the time of Beckett's demise, Etheridge took to Twitter to announce the tragic information to her fans and empathize with parents who had lost their children to the scourge of drug addiction.

"Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction," she tweeted. "My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today."

She added: "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 struggled with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end, we know he is out of the pain now."

According to Daily Mail, the last two months of Beckett's life were filled with days of drug-induced reverie until he was found dead in his $3,500-a-month Denver apartment. He had recently moved into the apartment and posted several pictures of himself on social media from the location.

Per the publication, the demised lad often shared videos on his page, showing off himself taking a narcotic named "lean." Also known as "purple drank," the mind-numbing drug was a mixture of codeine cough syrup and Sprite.

More prominent was Beckett's use of opioids like Xanax and Percocet, as reported by several sources. Beckett was allegedly also into crack cocaine and often accosted his neighbors late at night, requesting for baking soda to turn cocaine into smokable crack.

Following her son's death, Etheridge has indeed moved on with her life, as seen by her decision to go back to singing. Her latest project, "My Window - A Journey Through Life," was previewed on October 13, and she will perform on multiple dates until its closing on October 29.

Per Broadway, the narrative of the performance centers on "tales of her childhood in Kansas to her groundbreaking career highlights—with all of life's hits and deep cuts between."

Aside from her Broadway work, Etheridge has won two Grammy awards out of a whopping 15 nominations in the music industry. In addition, she also boasts of a 2007 Oscars for Best Original Song for "I Need to Wake Up." The music was used in the 2006 concert/documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth."

Known for her unique lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, the singer has released multiple hits, including "Ain't It Heavy," since she released her eponymous debut album in 1998.