Bobby Brown has had to endure an immense amount of grief through the years, including every parent’s worst nightmare, the death of a child.
During an appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” on Monday, May 19, the 56-year-old R&B singer opened up about how he’s navigated grief following the deaths of his daughter Bobbi Kristina, son Bobby Brown Jr., and former wife Whitney Houston.
“Lots of prayer, first and foremost, that absolutely took me to the point where I accepted therapy in my life,” Brown told host Hudson. “I accepted going to a therapist and really working out all of the issues that I had within me.”
Brown, who has been married to manager Alicia Etheredge since 2012 and has five additional children, credits his family and being around those closest to him, “when times get hard,” as a source of strength.
“They’re still there because [the grief] doesn’t stop. It’s not like it just goes away. It’s gonna be with you forever, but it’s about dealing with it and really paying attention to yourself. Paying attention to how you’re feeling that day and letting somebody know how you’re feeling that day. You know, not keeping it inside.”
Brown and Houston, who had a famously tumultuous but passionate relationship, were married for 14 years from 1992 to 2007. They welcomed Bobbi Kristina, their only child together, in 1993. On February 11, 2012, Houston died by accidental drowning related to drug use in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. She was 48. Bobbi Kristina died in an eerily similar way on July 26, 2015, at the age of 22, and on November 18, 2020, Bobby Brown Jr., whom Brown shared with Kim Ward, also died of a drug overdose. He was 27.
Since the death of Bobbi Kristina, which will reach the tenth anniversary this July, Brown has gone on to honor her legacy through the launching of the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, a nonprofit organization that provides resources to domestic violence victims.
Brown told Hudson that his daughter was not here in large part due to domestic violence.
“What happened to my daughter, I don’t want to see that happen to any other man or woman’s child ever,” said Brown. “That’s why we have the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House to be a safe haven for those that are going through domestic violence.”
He added, “It’s time to speak out. You know, people have to speak out and ask for help. And when you’re not asking for help, a friend needs to ask for help for you. We have to look out for each other. The Serenity House is there to, like I said, be a safe haven for those that are in need of getting away from a situation that is not healthy.”
