Prince Was To Meet Addiction Specialist On Day Of Death

Prince’s representatives sought addiction help for the troubled singer on the eve of his death. On the afternoon of April 20, Prince’s concerned advisors contacted Dr. Howard Kornfield in hopes the doctor could help Prince with his reportedly growing opioid dependence. Although Dr. Kornfield couldn’t meet with Prince that night, he sent his son Andrew, a practice consultant, to the singer’s compound with the purpose of putting together a treatment plan.

Unfortunately, Prince Rogers Nelson died before this potentially life-saving treatment could begin.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Kornfield family spokesman William Mauzy stated, “The plan was to quickly evaluate his health and devise a treatment plan. The doctor was planning on a lifesaving mission.”

Tragically, a gravely-ill Prince had collapsed by the time Andrew Kornfield arrived that fateful April 21 morning at 9:30 a.m. Kornfield placed an emergency 911 call to alert dispatchers of Prince’s condition.

When authorities arrived, Prince, 57, was unable to be resuscitated. Although the cause of Prince’s death is still under investigation, some believe his demise to be attributed to an overdose of painkillers. Reports have surfaced that the “Purple Rain” singer harbored a secret addiction to Dilaudid pills and Fentanyl pain patches.

A doctor who purportedly sold Prince high-powered opiates had these candid remarks for The Guardian concerning the now-deceased star’s long battle with addiction.

“The problem with Percocet is that it is an opiate mixed with Tylenol – but he would have been taking much more than the recommended dose because he had developed a tolerance to opiates over the years. As far as I knew he never took heroin. That would leave you out of it for days whereas Dilaudid gives you an energy buzz as well as making you feel relaxed – so he preferred it.”

Reportedly used as a method of coping with stage-fight, Prince was rumored to have spent upwards of $40,000 every six months for the potent opiates. The Grammy-Award winner is said to have done so for 25-plus years.

This long-held Percocet addiction is theorized to have ultimately resulted in Prince’s death. Percocet contains a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone. When taken for sustained amounts of time, the side effects of Percocet include harsh liver and kidney damage.

By the time Prince’s team reached for help, the singer’s condition was said to be spiraling out of control. Prince had been struggling with health problems throughout the final weeks of his life, and the acclaimed performer was forced to cancel two April 7 shows due to health concerns. On his flight back home following a final April 15 performance, Prince would require immediate emergency medical intervention.

Prince’s representatives said, per TMZ, “After the show, he got on a plane and felt considerably worse, so his plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, where he was taken to the hospital and treated. He was released 3 hours later, got back on the plane and is now back home.”

While the ultimate cause of Prince’s death has yet to be determined, many feel painkillers played an integral role in the Purple One’s tragic final days. Autopsy reports should be available in the coming weeks.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]