Melissa Etheridge’s oldest daughter paid tribute to her brother Beckett Cypheridge after his tragic death at 21 following a battle with opioid addiction.
Bailey Cypheridge, 23, shared a series of photos of her and Beckett together in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
‘I don’t know what to say. Today we lost my brother,’ Bailey wrote. ‘Too heartbroken and overwhelmed to be eloquent but appreciate all those who have reached out.
‘I love you Beckett. Fly high and watch over us.’
Melissa Etheridge’s oldest daughter Bailey Cypheridge paid tribute to her brother Beckett (above together) after his tragic death at 21 following a battle with opioid addiction
Bailey and Beckett are pictured with their mother Melissa when she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in September 2011
Etheridge revealed that Beckett had ‘struggled to overcome his addiction’ to opioids. The 21-year-old is pictured in a Facebook photo from 2019
Among the photos Bailey shared was this one of her and Beckett playing together as children
Etheridge, who shared Beckett and Bailey with her former partner Julie Cypher, announced the 21-year-old’s death on Twitter.
‘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,’ the singer, 58, wrote.
‘My heart is broken … We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know that he is out of the pain now.’
Etheridge, 58, said in a statement that Beckett had succumbed to opioid addiction and that her heart is broken
Beckett and Bailey were raised by Etheridge and her former partner Julie Cypher. Their biological father was rocker David Crosby. Cypher and Etheridge are pictured with Crosby and his wife Jan at an event in Santa Monica, California, in September 2000
Etheridge had been performing Facebook Live concerts and offering virtual guitar lessons during the coronavirus lockdown.
The devastated star has naturally put her planned remote appearances on hold as she deals with the loss of her beloved child.
But she promised: ‘I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me.’
The sad news was announced via the singer’s official Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon
Etheridge had been performing Facebook Live concerts and offering virtual guitar lessons during the coronavirus lockdown. She’s pictured in January
Etheridge and Cypher got together in 1990 after Cypher left her then husband actor Lou Diamond Philips to live with the musician.
Cypher gave birth to daughter Bailey in February 1997 and Beckett in November 1998.
The children were conceived via artificial insemination and it was later revealed that rock legend David Crosby was the sperm donor.
Speaking out: David spoke out after the news was confirmed as he responded to a tweet from a fan reading: ‘I respectfully point out, David was their donor’
Crosby spoke out after the news was confirmed as he responded to a tweet from a fan.
‘I respectfully point out, David was their donor,’ the fan wrote. ‘They did not have a son “with” him. He was Melissa and Julie’s child. They raised him. Like most donors, he played no other part.’
Crosby replied: ‘Not true’.
When another Twitter user wrote: ‘@thedavidcrosby I will be 40 next month. As long as I can remember anything at all you have been one of my favorite voices. While I know that you were a surrogate, I also know that you just lost a son. I’m sorry, I know you’ve had a rough year,’ David responded: ‘Maybe it’s a test’.
The Grammy-winning recording artist shared Beckett with former partner Julie Cypher who gave birth to him and daughter Bailey during their decade-long relationship (pictured in 1994)
Etheridge and Cypher got together in 1990 after Cypher left her then husband actor Lou Diamond Philips to live with the musician. They broke up in 2000
During their relationship, Etheridge and Cypher were high-profile activists for gay rights.
In a 1994 interview with The Advocate, Etheridge explained their desire to have children together.
‘I think one of the many fears people have about homosexuality is around children. I think that the more gay parents raise good, strong, compassionate people, the better the world will be,’ she explained.
Four years later, in 1998, she told Parents magazine: ‘There’s nothing like taking the responsibility or creating the responsibility of bringing a human being into this world and helping it in its first years. It doesn’t matter the equation that gets you there or what you are to that person. It doesn’t matter at all. It is the bond between you and the child.’
Etheridge and Cypher split in 2000.
The singer went on to have twins in 2006 with new partner Tammy Lynn Michaels. They started dating in 2002 and announced their separation in 2010.
Cypher has been married to Matthew Hale since 2004.
Celebrities have been swift to offer condolences to Etheridge including fellow gay rights activist and mom Rosie O’Donnell
Star Trek star George Takei shared his thoughts in a heartfelt tweet
Rosanna Arquette expressed her shock at the sad news
Celebrities have been swift to offer their condolences to the I’m The Only One and Come To my Window hitmaker.
Rosie O’Donnell tweeted: ‘no words #onlylove,’
‘Oh my God oh my God no. Prayers and love to Melissa Rest In Peace dear Beckett,’ Rosanna Arquette wrote on Twitter.
George Takei shared: ‘My heart is heavy for Melissa Etheridge, whose son Beckett Cypher has died at the young age of 21. Nothing is harder than a parent losing their child. We are with you, Melissa.’
Media monitoring organization GLAAD that promotes LGBTQ acceptance offered support
The I’m The Only One and Come To my Window hitmaker is pictured performing on stage at the San Diego Pride Festival in July 2019