Widow of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, Vicky Cornell, took a visit to Congress on Monday, February 25 to discuss the dilemma of healthcare professionals overprescribing addictive medications. This problem is held very close to Vicky as her husband died in May of 2017 of suicide. Chris’s family released a statement after his death saying that “if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.”
Vicky’s visit to Congress included an address to the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioid Task Force where she shared the story of Chris’s death. However, the purpose of this was to discuss the larger issue at hand, the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis. She reportedly said: “We must integrate addiction treatment into our health care system- no more false narratives about the need to hit rock bottom, no more secret societies, no more shame- we must educate health care providers on how to treat addiction and best support recovery.
Chris is best remembered as the lead singer for Soundgarden, a band that came up from the mid ‘80s Seattle underground and produced songs that stood out amongst the rest. Chris’s voice included an impressive range and helped him test boundaries of style and genre. He was awarded Posthumous Best Rock Performance at the 61st Grammy’s for his solo track “When Bad Does Good.” His two children took the stage to accept the award on his behalf.
Vicky Cornell is working to make a difference in this seemingly-common problem the nation is facing. In November 2018 she sued her late husband’s doctor for malpractice, but the doctor denies the wrongdoing.
Photo credit: Raymond Flotat
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