Prince Sought Help From Addiction Specialist The Day Before His Death
Though the cause of death for the celebrity has yet to be determined, a picture of a man in crisis is beginning to emerge from the investigation. Prince's representatives had reached out to a prominent California doctor who specializes in treating addiction, but the help came too late.
The New York Times:
Prince’s Addiction And An Intervention Too Late
Prince Rogers Nelson had an unflinching reputation among those close to him for leading an assiduously clean lifestyle. He ate vegan and preferred to avoid the presence of meat entirely. He was known to eschew alcohol and marijuana, and no one who went on tour with him could indulge either. But Prince appears to have shielded from even some of his closest friends that he had a problem with pain pills, one that grew so acute that his friends sought urgent medical help from Dr. Howard Kornfeld of California, who specializes in treating people addicted to pain medication. ... But he arrived too late. (Eligon, Kovaleski and Coscarelli, 5/5)
The Associated Press:
Attorney: Prince Arranged To Meet Addiction Doctor
In his final weeks, Prince hid signs of trouble from his fans, stonewalling reports of an overdose that required an emergency plane landing and making a brief public appearance to reassure them. But privately, the superstar was in crisis, seeking help from a prominent addiction expert that ultimately came too late. The day before he died, Prince’s representatives reached out to a prominent California doctor who specializes in treating addiction and set up an initial meeting between the two, the doctor’s Minneapolis attorney, William Mauzy, said Wednesday. He said the doctor, Howard Kornfeld, couldn’t leave right away so he sent his son, Andrew, who flew out that night. (Burbach, 5/4)
The San Francisco Chronicle:
Exclusive: Pain Doctor Prince Sought Help From Speaks Out
Dr. Howard Kornfeld, the Bay Area pain specialist whose help a representative for Prince sought before the legendary musician’s death, has long been an advocate of using a painkiller that’s less addictive than many of the opioids that have led to an epidemic of abuse. He spoke exclusively to The Chronicle on Wednesday. (Colliver, 5/4)