On April 15, 2016, the Moline Airport and Trinity Medical Center became hosts to a high profile visitor who was inches from death. Prince’s plane made an emergency landing in Moline, where he was taken from the plane barely breathing. It took two doses of Narcan, a drug designed to reverse opioid overdoses, to revive the singer. At the hospital, Prince – an obsessively private person – refused further medical treatment in effort to conceal his addiction to painkillers from the public. The pills he took were examined at the hospital. The pills Prince supplied doctors contained the marking “Watson 853” which are the markings of a hydrocodone – a narcotic known for its risk of addiction.
Nearly a week later, after being released from the hospital in Moline, Prince was found dead in the elevator of his Minneapolis home on the morning of April 21, 2016. He was just 57 years old. Following his death, there was a two year investigation into the cause of his death. The investigation concluded that Prince died of an overdose. The pills he had taken were actually a black market Vicodin laced with Fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid. Although Fentanyl was found in Prince’s system, there were no charge made; investigators were unable to determine where Prince obtained the pills, or if they were indeed the cause of his death. It was only likely that these were the pills Prince had taken.
Regardless of the investigation’s findings, Prince’s death was felt both in the music industry and beyond. Pleasant Valley senior Kelsie Foltz speaks to Prince’s influences and the devastation felt by his loss. “Prince was one of the most influential voices of his generation,” she said. “To lose him the way we did is not only a loss for the music industry, but for every person his music touched as well.”
Prior to the landing in Moline, Prince had performed at a concert in Atlanta. According to those close with the singer, his chef, his former chief of staff and best friend, Theo London, and his ex wife Manuela Testolini, the physical stress of performing had been taking a toll on his body for many years. Those in his inner circle were aware that he had been taking prescription painkillers for many years to combat his aches and pains, usually stemming from a bad hit.
Toward the end of his life, those closest to him began noticing not only changes in his behavior, but more frequent cancellations of shows, weight loss and loss of appetite. Those traveling with him to Atlanta noted his exhaustion. The day before he died, London had scheduled an appointment for Prince, who was treated for opiate withdrawal symptoms. On the fateful morning of April 21, addiction specialists were waiting at his Paisley Park studio and residence in the suburb of Chanhassen, Minnesota. Prince never had the chance to meet them.
“What happened to Prince is happening to families across America,” said Prince’s family’s attorney, John Goetz, in an interview with Rolling Stone. “Prince’s family wishes, through his investigation, to shed additional light on what happened to Prince. At the same time, further light on the opiate epidemic will hopefully help the fight to save lives. If Prince’s death helps save lives, then all was not lost.”
The family’s lawsuit includes Walgreens, alleging that two Minnesota branches were responsible for distributing “prescription medications not valid for a legitimate medical purpose”. The wrongful death suit also extends to the doctor that treated Prince at Trinity Medical Center, alleging that he was not properly treated, nor were the pills properly investigated. His family hopes to use their loss as a platform to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic that has consumed this country. Prince struggled with his addiction for many years and was unable to finally receive the help he needed. While they will never get Prince back, his family prays this suit will bring, if nothing else, closure.
