Bobby Brown Makes A Heartbreaking Confession About The Loss Of His Children

The following article includes mentions of substance abuse.

Bobby Brown is ready to open up about his greatest tragedy. From his volatile relationship with Whitney Houston to his own substance abuse problems, the "New Edition" singer has faced plenty of struggles, but there's one that haunts him above all others. In an upcoming docuseries from A&E, "Biography: Bobby Brown," he'll be discussing the premature deaths of two of his children to substance abuse issues: Bobbi Kristina Brown in 2015, and Bobby Brown, Jr. in 2020.

Like her mother, Bobbi Kristina was also found unresponsive in a bathtub. Although she was still alive, doctors placed her in a medically induced coma and subsequent tests found drugs in her system. After being in a coma for five months, Bobbi Kristina died at age 22 on July 25, 2015. In November 2020, Bobby Jr. was found dead at age 27 from an accidental overdose of alcohol, cocaine, and fentanyl.

Both deaths strongly impacted Bobby Sr. a great deal, inspiring him to publicly speak about substance abuse. Now that he has three young children with new wife Alicia Etheredge, he's determined to right the wrongs of his past and set a better example going forward. Due to his own past experience with drugs, Bobby Sr. partially blames himself for his children's deaths. As he told the "Red Table Talk" panel, "My babies are gone. I've been through my time and I know that my time played a part in my son feeling he could test something. You know? And I feel guilty about that." Now, he's sharing even more details about life without his two children.

In an interview with People to promote his new docuseries, Bobby Brown shared an emotional confession about both of his late children. After the death of Bobby Brown Jr., he's been having recurring dreams about his son and daughter Bobbi Kristina: "I always see them at beaches or in fields. They're running away, but they're laughing. And they're always together. I didn't have many dreams about Bobbi Kris before Bobby Jr. died. But then all of a sudden — floods of dreams."

Born only four months apart, Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Jr. were very close. Like their father, they were both musicians. Bobbi Kristina idolized her mother Whitney Houston growing up, and had aspirations of being a famous singer herself. Bobby Jr. had also begun making music with his father, and they were in the recording studio together just two nights before his passing. "It was something that hit me really, really hard," Brown said of his son on "Red Table Talk." "He was a musician, played piano, played drums, he was a great writer. He was a teacher and learner. He learned from everybody that he was around and he taught just as much as he learned," 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).