Country music singer Luke Bell died on August 26. On Tuesday, Tucson, Arizona’s ABC affiliate, KGUN reported the cause of death was an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Bell died at age 32, six days after going missing in Tucson. He also reportedly suffered from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.076 in his system at the time of his death, per The US Sun.
Brian Buchanan, Bell’s manager, told TMZ:
“Luke fought this as hard as he could, but the disease got the better of him. When he was beating the disease, he was the sweetest and most generous guy. He’s found peace now and there’s some comfort.”
Bell’s relatives said they had “lost our beloved son, brother, and friend, and we are heartbroken.” The family added that the singer suffered from mental illness.
“Unfortunately Luke suffered from the disease of mental illness, which progressed after his father’s death in 2015. Luke was supported through his disease by a community of loving family and friends. Despite this, he was unable to receive the help he needed to ease his pain.”
He was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and his “mental state took a turn for the worse” over recent months, per Saving Country Music.
The family continued, saying their:
“[h]earts go out to the millions of people affected by mental illness who, like us, understand the devastating disappointment of a system that consistently fails to provide caring solutions to those who suffer.”
Bell’s loved ones praised him for having “a gentle heart, a wanderer’s spirit, and a musical gift that he was fortunate to share with us and the world.”
Their statement concluded:
“We are so grateful to his friends and fans for embracing Luke and his music. We would like to thank all of Luke’s fans, friends and family who have been sharing stories and photos of happy times with him.
“As we navigate our heartbreak we respectfully ask for privacy to allow us room to grieve and honor his memory. Our only comfort comes in the fact that our Luke is finally free and at peace.”
Fentanyl is a deadly drug that tears families apart. The fentanyl crisis must be taken seriously by our so-called leaders. They must put an end to the open-air drug markets, close the southern border, and take this seriously. The cartels are making millions, some billions, of dollars from selling these drugs. Enough is enough. It is long past time, and the leaders of this country must act.
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