As many people had speculated and hoped was not the case, it was confirmed early Thursday, June 2 Prince Rogers Nelson indeed passed away due to an opioid overdose. The iconic musician was found unresponsive in an elevator at his massive Chanhassen, Minnesota compound, Paisley Park, on April 21, 2016, shocking countless fans around the world.
According to the Associated Press, who obtained a one-page report from the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, Prince died from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid used to treat pain. Normally prescribed to treat patients suffering from chronic pain to late-stage cancer, Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin.
There were early suspicions Prince was struggling with a Percocet addiction, which surfaced when his plane had to make an emergency landing before he could make it home. The press reported it was the “flu,” but many addiction specialists, including Dr. Drew, questioned why an emergency landing was necessary for something usually as benign as the flu.
Andrew Kornfeld, son of California pain and addiction specialist, Dr. Howard Kornfeld, was reportedly at Prince’s compound the day he died in an effort to help him get off of opiates. Kornfeld had the opioid blocker buprenorphine in his backpack when Prince was found in the elevator.
While it’s a sad ending to an otherwise otherworldly life, it will never take away from Prince’s legacy. He was a musical genius unparalleled by any other. He will truly be missed. —Kyle Eustice for RAPstation
