Amy Winehouse's Death Turns Tragedy into Triumph for Addicts

COMMENTARY | The early and tragic end that came to Amy Winehouse's life July 23 may turn a tragedy into a triumph for people who have struggled with substance abuse themselves.

Many fans have mourned the loss of the star, who battled problems with drugs and alcohol for much of her young life. Even more difficult to fathom is that Winehouse may have suddenly stopped drinking in an effort to conquer her addiction and died from alcohol withdrawal. Though the cause of her death is unknown, her family believes that her unsupervised alcohol withdrawal played a large role in the end of her life.

A physician at the Betty Ford Center, Dr. Harry Haroutunian, told the New York Times " Alcohol withdrawal is one of the most fatal complications of all drugs."

Through the dark sadness of Winehouse's untimely death, there is light to be found. Amy's father, Mitch Winehouse, has already begun plans to build a foundation in his daughter's name. He made the announcement at Amy's funeral, stating that the foundation will offer help and support to those facing addiction problems.

Mitch is quite serious about starting the foundation quickly: To prove it, he has already made the decision to use Amy's $4 million property as the location for the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

The father hopes to help thousands through the foundation, commenting to US Magazine, "In this country, if you cannot afford a private rehabilitation clinic, there is a two year waiting list for help... We are trying to change that."

Amy's father said the foundation could include a wide range of causes that were close to Amy's heart, possibly including help for children in trouble and with health problems. This would be in addition to the campaign to help young drug addicts, as well as involvement with rehab projects.

The mission statement of the Amy Winehouse Foundation will be announced on the late singer's birthday, Sept. 14.

From 1992 to 2008, alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom have doubled from an average of 4,023 in 1992 to 9,031 in 2008. Drug-related deaths have been rising as well, with 2,182 fatalities occurring in 2009. In the United States, the most recent statistics show 23,199 people who died from an alcohol-related cause over a year's time, and that does not include drunk driving related accidents.

We don't usually hear about the average person who dies from drugs or alcohol; it's only the person who has risen to fame who draws the attention.

There are many people suffering from addiction all over the world; no matter the cause of their substance abuse, all should be met with compassion and understanding. More foundations, such as the Amy Winehouse Foundation, are desperately needed to save individuals headed down the road to an untimely and tragic death.