We all remember that terrible Christmas two years ago, when we lost one of the greatest icons in singing history, George Michael.
Elton John recently opened up about his friendship with George and how difficult it was when his dear friend passed away at only 53 years old.
George Michael, like many artists before him, struggled with an on-again-off-again drug addiction.
Elton used to share the stage with the pop star on occasion and felt close enough with him to share life advice. The fellow eighties icon urged George to change his lifestyle and seek help for his heroin dependency.
He told Channel 4 News: “I tried to put my arms around him. I tried to help, but you can't help people who don't want to help themselves.”
A recovered addict himself, Elton has been clean and sober for 28 years and knew exactly how George was feeling at the time.
Elton reflected on how angry he used to get himself all those years ago when people told him the same thing, to go to rehab and stop using.
“So, I understand George, you know when I said a couple of things, and he did a whole page interview in Heat magazine saying I should shut up.
“I understood what his reaction was,” he explained in his interview.
Unfortunately, the late pop star did not seek help soon enough.
Elton John urged others who struggle with addiction to break their dangerous habit, “whether it’s an Alcoholics Anonymous or going to rehab or just having the humility to say I have a problem, I can’t do this, somebody help me."
He recently launched MenStar coalition with Prince Harry, a combined charity organisation to help provide global testing and treatment for HIV.
George Michael will forever be in our hearts, and as Elton reminded us, it is so important to encourage loved ones who struggle with addictions to seek out help.
