Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Aaron Carter Said He ‘Finally Got it Right’ With Sobriety After 4th Trip to Rehab Prior to His Death
Aaron Carter said he “finally got it right” with his sobriety after completing his fourth trip to rehab just three months before his tragic death.
“I think I turned into the real, true authentic version of myself,” the late rapper told host Kaila Methven on the August 7 episode of her K’LA Afterdark talk show, when asked if he felt like he “grew” during treatment.
While discussing his new music, Aaron revealed, “I took a break since 2017, I needed to go to rehab,” and seemed upbeat about his career after putting it on hold for five years.
Aaron made a fifth trip to rehab in September after the interview was taped, although he claimed he was still sober and wanted to regain custody of his son, Prince, 11 months, whom he shared with off-and-on fiancée Melanie Martin. The former teen heartthrob had dealt with addiction and mental health issues for most of his adult life.
“I haven’t had any relapses or anything like that, it’s just triggers are big right now for me (and) I want my son back,” he told the U.S. Sun, while admitting he “f–ked up” his mind by “huffing duster cans and suffering over 100 seizures.”
The “I Want Candy” singer was found dead in the bathtub of his Lancaster, California, home by a housekeeper on November 5. He was 34 years old. An official cause of death has not yet been released.
Aaron was mourned by his older brother, Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, in a Sunday, November 6, Instagram post where he blamed addiction for his sibling’s issues.
“I have always held onto the hope, that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed,” Nick wrote next to a series of photos of the brothers while growing up, adding, “Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss. But the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here.”
Ex-girlfriend Hilary Duff also referred to Aaron’s addiction battle in her statement of mourning.
“For Aaron — I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in front of the whole world,” she wrote in on Instagram, adding, “You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent … boy did my teenage self love you deeply. Sending love to your family at this time.”
