Silke Jasso
David Crosby passed away at the age of 81 after a long illness while being “lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son to Django” according to a statement from his family.
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“Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us. His legacy will continue to live on through his legendary music,” the statement reads. “Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. We will miss him dearly. At this time, we respectfully and kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers.”
The musician was a founding member of the Byrds, which has a big fan base, but the actor was also praised by fans for being open when it came to his addiction problems. After his death, several fans paid tribute to the musician, but also remembered how much of an impact he made not only to his fans but celebrities as well.
After his passing, a tweet went viral that showed the link connected to both Crosby and actress Drew Barrymore, showing how much of an influence he was on her life as a teenager.
“A nice david crosby story: he & his wife took in drew barrymore when she was 14 for a bit. typical america — she was in rehab but her insurance was running out the folks running the place knew crosby & asked them to take her bc she was not ready yet & couldn’t go home safely,” the tweet read.
a nice david crosby story: he & his wife took in drew barrymore when she was 14 for a bit. typical america – she was in rehab but her insurance was running out🤬 the folks running the place knew crosby & asked them to take her bc she was not ready yet & couldn't go home safely
— endora bullshit (@collectdust) January 19, 2023
The musician once opened up during an interview with Howard Stern back in June 2021 where he recalled when he and his wife took in then-14-year-old Barrymore for two months after they met at a treatment center. “We knew her because we were in recovery at that time. We were going to meetings probably three times a week and totally sober,” Crosby told Stern.
“She was in a facility that was run by a friend of ours, and they said, ‘Oh, s–t. Her insurance is going to run out. We’re going to have to kick her out. And she’s not ready. She needs a safe place to go,” he continued.
Barrymore had won emancipation from her parents at that time and stayed with the musician and his family for 2 months.
“We took her to school in the morning and tried to be a good influence. I think we were kind and loving, and it felt good to do,” he expressed. “You try to do stuff, and you’re not sure how it’s going to work out. I think that one worked. I think she became a responsible human being and is a nice person.”
Barrymore, who has been open about her struggles with addiction in the past, was only 12 years old when she first began using drugs. Despite her young age, she quickly spiraled out of control and was in need of help. Crosby, who had also struggled with addiction in the past, was able to relate to the actress’ struggles and was determined to help her turn her life around. With Crosby’s guidance, Barrymore was able to get the help she needed.
In her 1990 autobiography Lost Girl, she spoke about how much of an impact Crosby had on her childhood.
“Crosby. David, and his wife Jan, both of whom were close friends of my therapist, Betty, acted as an invaluable support team to me, like surrogate parents,” Barrymore wrote. “They were always there for me.”
Barrymore continues to be open about her past struggles with addiction in hopes of helping others who may be going through similar struggles.
