Additional Coverage:
- Amy Winehouse’s final five-word confession to her doctor hours before her death aged 27 (irishstar.com)
Legendary singer Amy Winehouse tragically passed away in July 2011 due to alcohol poisoning, following a haunting admission made to her doctor just hours before her death.
The acclaimed artist, aged 27, was found lifeless at her home in Camden, north London, on July 23. Winehouse had battled alcohol and drug addiction for years and had recently relapsed into drinking after a period of sobriety.
An inquest later confirmed that the cause of death was alcohol poisoning. Testimony from Dr.
Christina Romete, a general practitioner who visited Winehouse at home the evening before her fatal episode, shed light on the singer’s state in her final hours. During the visit, Amy confessed to having resumed drinking and expressed a chilling plea: “I don’t want to die.”
Dr. Romete revealed that Amy had been prescribed Librium to help manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Despite her fragile condition, Winehouse declined mental health support, fearing it might affect her creativity. The doctor described Amy as an intelligent and determined woman, adamant about handling her therapy on her own terms.
On the night before her death, Amy appeared calm but somewhat guilty, slightly intoxicated yet coherent. She admitted to resuming alcohol consumption just three days prior, on July 20. When asked if she planned to quit again, her response was uncertain: “I don’t know.”
Throughout their interactions, Dr. Romete had repeatedly warned Amy about the severe risks associated with alcohol abuse, including respiratory failure, heart and liver problems, fertility issues, and death.
At the inquest held at St Pancras Coroner’s Court in London, assistant deputy coroner Suzanne Greenaway ruled Amy’s death as “accidental alcohol poisoning” and officially recorded it as death by misadventure. The singer’s blood alcohol concentration was found to be 416 mg per 100 ml-well above the 350 mg level considered potentially fatal. Investigators also found three empty vodka bottles at her residence.
Amy’s body was discovered by her security guard, Andrew Morris, who reported that she had spent her final evening in her bedroom watching television and listening to music. He found her unresponsive the following afternoon.
Due to an administrative error, a second inquest was held in 2013, reaching the same conclusion as the original.
This poignant case continues to remind us of the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction and the tragic loss of a remarkable talent taken far too soon.