Russell Brand Amy Winehouse Tribute on Website

Russell Brand posted a tribute to Amy Winehouse on his website. Like most people who knew her, the British actor is devastated to learn of her death, but he also takes the time to point out that you may be able to prevent a similar circumstance in your circle of friends.

When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they've had enough, that they're ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it's too late, she's gone.

The pair met in Camden, and he did not realize her true talent, seeing a woman who just went around to bars. Unfortunately, both Russell Brand and Amy Winehouse were addicts. Hopefully, the funnyman has slayed his demons so that he will not suffer the same fate as the dead-to-soon singer. There seems to be hope because he is married to Katy Perry and has been through rehab.

My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened. Winehouse. Winehouse? Winehouse! That twerp, all eyeliner and lager dithering up Chalk Farm Road under a back-combed barnet, the lips that I'd only seen clenching a fishwife fag and dribbling curses now a portal for this holy sound.

Russell Brand does not want others to suffer the same fate as the 27-year-old singer. He wrote:

Now Amy Winehouse is dead, like many others whose unnecessary deaths have been retrospectively romanticised, at 27 years old. Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today. We have lost a beautiful and talented woman to this disease. Not all of us know someone with the incredible talent that Amy had but we all know drunks and junkies and they all need help and the help is out there.

Will you heed his advice and reach out to those you know who suffer from a serious addiction? Perhaps doing so would keep somebody in your life from suffering the same fate as Amy Winehouse. While her death is a terrible tragedy, the actor is right in that it should not be romanticized. Yes, she died way too young, but it was from a disease that she needed help with, which is not a romantic way to go.