Who was Amy Winehouse?

Don’t forget she was someone’s ‘little girl’…..

I really hate when bloggers jump on the bandwagon when something terrible happens to drive traffic to their blogs.  When a few celebrities recently lost babies late into their pregnancies, a lot of bloggers decided it was a good time to start sharing their own stories.  I can appreciate the sentiment and I do think more women should talk about miscarriages; but I personally made the decision not to share my own stories at that time.  I can understand sending them a tweet of condolence or leaving a heart-felt message of support on their Facebook page but writing a post about your own experiences and turning the attention to yourself stinks of selfishness in my mind.

So, this is why I was reluctant to talk about Amy Winehouse’s sudden death this weekend.  I was sitting in the pub when someone popped by and said she’d died.  We were all in disbelief.  I quickly popped on to twitter to confirm it and sadly it was true.  What saddened me the most is that she was only 27.  I was a bit of a rebel in my twenties, experimenting a lot, pretty much everything, bar injecting myself, but luckily I didn’t have access to the money and drugs that she did, nor did I have to deal with the same pressures.  A lot of finger pointing will go on. Was it the media, her parents, fame?

When I got home last night, I crept up the stairs and poked my head in to check on my daughter who was sleeping soundly.  I don’t know how to put it into words, but looking at her sleeping is the most amazing experience; calming, soothing, peaceful.  It made me think of Amy’s parents, as they would have done the exact same thing and brought a tear to my eye; I’m sure they celebrated the first time she slept through the night, her first birthday, her first steps, her first words, and her first day at school.  She wasn’t always an incredibly talented junkie with too much eye-makeup.

Some of the comments/bad jokes I’ve read on twitter really make me wonder at what point did she stop being a human-being in people’s minds.

Even though her parents knew she was on a path of destruction and the outcome was inevitable, I can’t imagine the pain they must feel.

No parent should ever have to bury their children.

 

Author: mediocremum

A slightly older mum of one, who drinks far too much red wine and has an unhealthy obsession with her slow cooker. During the day she's an ICT Trainer, Social Media/Online Marketing consultant and does a bit of public speaking. Full Profile on Google+

18 thoughts on “Who was Amy Winehouse?”

  1. Beautifully said hon and exactly what I said too. Makes you hug your kids a little tighter when they’re little because breaking parents hearts with addiction isn’t exclusive to the rich and famous. It could happen to any one of us. Glad you wrote this and yes some of the things said on twitter were disgusting. I can’t imagine the pain her parents and family must feel. Yes it was inevitable she would come to this sort of end but that wont make it any easier for them to bury their beautiful little girl. I waste of a very young talented life/daughter. xxx

  2. I was glad to have been on holiday with no access. I sat predicting the ill-informed, ignorant and, inevitably, spiteful bile from pointless fuckers with nothing more meaningful to do.

    My view is that friends and boyfriends/girlfriends can have such a dramatic effect on moulding the direction of our kids lives. It’s terrifying to think that you could spend 20+ years doing your best only for your girl to meet a scumbag somewhere along the way….

    1. That’s the bit that terrifies me…no matter how strong of footings I put in place it can all go wrong…strongly believe it’s nature, nurture with a bit of luck thrown in….

  3. I agree with your sentiments as regards her family and friends; none of them should have to go through this kind of pain. What I am shocked by is the national outpouring of grief. Yes she was someone’s daughter, and yes her wasted life is a crying shame, but only one person was responsible for that. And although she had the money to lead her into it, she also had the money to drag herself out of it – had she wanted to enough. When you stop being a child you have a responsibility to take care of yourself, for you, and for everyone else who cares about you. Amy Winehouse let herself down and her family. I know these are harsh words, and I’m sure someone will take me to task over it, but my only sympathy is with the people who loved her.

    1. I’m not going to take you to task over it but without incriminating someone who is very close to me, our family has been through addiction and luckily we came out the other side. I think what people really need to take away from this that drug addiction is a serious illness and should be treated as such. It’s so much bigger than many people can battle. It’s not a matter of dusting yourself off and getting on with it. But I do appreciate your comments and totally understand.

  4. I completely agree – some of the guys at work were telling jokes today and I obviously missed the point that this was, whatever her flaws, someone who was someone’s child

    And that’s all this should be about – not celebrating that she was a member of Club 27 along with Joplin and Hendrix but this was an addict who wasn’t rescued and didn’t find the help she needed

  5. Such an incredibly sad story A lovely girl who grew up down the road from me (I didn’t know her but was a huge fan), she was I think, a victim of celebrity. In the cosiness of N.London she might have perhaps dabbled in drugs, eventually realising it was the wrong path and re-assessed her future. As it was, fame gobbled her up and led her on a self destructive journey that ended her future before it had really begun. I’d seen Amy’s parents and often wondered what they could have possibly done to prevent her making the choices she did. Ultimately though, once part a certain point there is little anyone can do. Intervening may delay the next ‘hit’ but when backs are turned they will indulge again. As a parent her story is both devastating and frightening, as an observer it is incredibly sad.

    1. Honestly, and speaking from experience, there is not a damn thing anyone can do until the addict wants something to happen. It’s the most frustrating thing to experience…..

  6. Having buried a child I feel desparately sad for her parents, I do however agree with much of what Actually Mummy has said.

    1. Sorry to hear of your loss, I can’t imagine the grief. It’s a difficult one and yes she is to blame for initially taking the drugs but the power they have over people is unbelievable….especially if they have inherent weaknesses. I don’t excuse people but I’ve seen some very powerful, clever people brought to destruction.

      1. Initially I had no sympathy at all, I have no experience of addicts and really can’t understand why anyone would take drugs with all the information that is out there and then on Sunday I read this

        http://sexdrugssausagerolls.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/yes-i%E2%80%99m-an-addict-too-the-post-i-thought-id-never-publish-amy-winehouse-ad/

        I still don’t get it but certainly felt a bit bad about my first impressions. I am fortunate to have no experience with addiction and for that am very grateful.

        1. Thank you for sharing the link. If you have the chance folks do read that post, it’s very interesting.

  7. I agree with Mummy..the person has to want to change..you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know good from bad. I do feel for her and her family
    been there done that myself. God bless….

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