Letter to the editor:
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Prince.
While the world waits for his autopsy results, some of the events leading up to his death seem a little bizarre, like postponing shows, making an emergency landing and being unresponsive.
If this turns out to be drug-related, this should be a wake-up call for any family member dealing with addiction. Spouses, children or close friends need to step up to help in the best interest of a loved one.
I liked the way President Gerald Ford and his family handled the situation with first lady Betty Ford. Their daughter Susan stood up to help organize an intervention.
Russ W. Bill; Fountain Valley, Calif.
Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:
Prince was a terrific person first and a superstar second. Not a lot of that going around these days.
— David Woodrum
Michael Jackson was a huge pop star. Prince was a hugely innovative artist who comes along only a couple of times in a generation. Jackson entertained. Prince created new sounds. Both have their places in music history, but my vote goes to Prince for a truly original artist who innovated.
— Michael Anthony Shea
What a wonderful article by Tavis Smiley about a much beloved artist unmatched in humility, talent and generosity (“Tavis Smiley: The Prince I knew”). How I would have loved to meet Prince in person or attended one of those intimate concerts. My heart aches at his loss.
— Cheryl Kelly Wright-Blessett
