From a splashy return to movies to getting her voice back, Whitney Houston had big plans for
2011 and 2012. But as Houston struggled to get her life and career back on track,
these plans would never see the light of day. Throughout most of her decades-spanning career,
Whitney Houston's struggles with substance abuse were chronicled by the media. The singer
tried numerous times to get help, despite her deflection in the infamous Diane Sawyer interview.
"I am not sick, Diane. I am not sick. Let's get that straight."
In 2009, the singer admitted to using drugs in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Houston
opened up about using cocaine and marijuana and spoke about her own
mother forcing her to check into rehab. She completed rehab stints in 2004 and 2005.
In the following years, Houston's journey with sobriety went through significant ups and downs.
In May 2011, she sought treatment once again and headed to an outpatient rehab program.
After completing the month-long program, Houston was ready for more help. The following month,
TMZ reported she hired a life coach and received additional treatment,
a move that suggested she was set on maintaining her recovery.
In 2006, Whitney Houston's marriage to Bobby Brown came to an end. The star filed for divorce and was
ready to move on from a marriage she described as filled with abuse and resentment. As she
kicked off her life as a single woman, there weren't many men she was romantically linked
to –– except for Ray J. According to The Sun, Brandy Norwood's little brother was first said
to be involved with Houston in 2010. Despite the two never confirming a relationship, they
were spotted by paparazzi multiple times leaving nightclubs and dinners. The week before she died,
the two were seen having dinner. Ray J was devastated by Houston's death, telling reporters,
"It's just such a tough time for me. I been through a lot
in these past two weeks. I'm able to look at life a whole different way."
Outside of Whitney Houston's influence in music, she was also a superstar in the film world. Her
first feature The Bodyguard was released in 1992. She not only dazzled on the big screen,
but recorded a cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" for the soundtrack that would
help make it the best-selling soundtrack of all time. She continued to shine in
other movies and even produced a couple of more hit films, including The Princess
Diaries. One project that Houston dreamed of bringing to the big screen was Sparkle.
This was her first movie role in 15 years and Houston knew how important this moment
was. On set, she agreed to take weekly drug tests to prove she was sober while filming,
as noted in the book, Didn't We Almost Have it All: In Defense of Whitney Houston. Houston
complied with the rules and worked hard to deliver a great performance. Sadly, the singer
passed away before the film was released. Throughout her career, Whitney Houston was
known as "The Voice." As the years went on, however, the voice we knew and adored began
to change. Years of drug use and smoking left her voice hoarse, and she struggled to hit the
notes on her most iconic records. Despite the change, fans still wanted to hear the pop diva.
In 2011, there were rumors the star was set to record an eighth studio album. However,
longtime mentor Clive Davis shut that down. In an interview with KOST 103.5,
Davis stated that another album would not be released until her "golden voice" returned.
He made note of habits the star needed to drop to bring her voice back to what
it once was. Houston was aware of that and reportedly was working hard at it.
According to CNN, just four days before she died, Houston visited a throat specialist
who specializes in treating singers with vocal issues. In the week of her death,
Houston was in Los Angeles recording the song "Celebrate" for the Sparkle
soundtrack. Producer Harvey Mason Jr. recalled in an interview with Rolling
Stone how dedicated Houston was to getting her vocals just right. Mason Jr. told the magazine:
"Whitney had days when she sounded amazing; she had days when she sounded decent;
and she had days when she sounded not so great. But she was really working to improve."
In the days following Whitney Houston's death, news of the star's financial struggles came to
light. The New York Daily News detailed how little the star was left with of her once $100 million
fortune. According to the newspaper, Houston reportedly borrowed money from friends and even
turned to mentor Clive Davis when she struggled to afford her homes. Months before her death,
a source told Radar Online that the singer was flat broke. The unnamed tipster claimed:
"Whitney's fortune is gone. Music industry heavy hitters are supporting her and her label
is fronting her cash against her next album, but no one knows when that will be released."
Outside of the business, she was dealing with family disputes over money. Her stepmother sued
her for $1 million from her father's life insurance payout. Houston countersued and
revealed in court just how much of her fortune she gave to her family over the years.
In October 2011, Whitney Houston was on her way to Detroit to film her comeback movie Sparkle.
"Sparkle, you can have a gift. It's how you use it."
However, things got off to a rocky start. According to TMZ, the singer reportedly
had an incident on a flight and was almost kicked off by the crew. According to the report, Houston
apparently refused to cooperate with flight attendants when repeatedly asked her to buckle
up more than once before the flight took off. After ignoring their verbal requests, one flight
attendant came over and buckled her up. The report raised questions regarding whether or not Houston
boarded the flight sober, but a source for E! News cleared up any speculation. The source stated:
"She was not drunk or on drugs, she is in the middle of filming a movie and flew
across country to attend a charity event and return to filming. She was exhausted."
This wasn't the first story of trouble with Houston at an airport. While getting ready
to fly out of Hawaii in 2000, airport security found half an ounce of marijuana in her bag.
According to ABC News, the singer boarded her flight before officers could arrive.
In Whitney Houston's final year, her daughter's personal struggles made
headlines. In February 2011, Bobbi Kristina Brown's personal life ended up tabloid fodder
when The National Enquirer published a photo of her allegedly snorting cocaine
at a party. A source close to her told the outlet that the superstar's daughter
was headed down a difficult path. The source claimed to the tabloid:
"Krissi is addicted to cocaine. I've tried to stop her,
but all she said was, 'I'm just like my mother!"
Bobbi Kristina addressed the leaked photos on Twitter, writing,
"But it's really not what it looks like...People will do anything for
money which is extremely sad, and I'm very hurt by this."
The National Enquirer then reported that Houston and ex-husband Bobby
Brown agreed to send their daughter to rehab. In 2015, Bobbi Kristina was found dead in her
bathtub at the age of 22. According to Radar Online, before her death,
Bobbi Kristina sent her friend some devastating texts about her late mother, reportedly writing,
"She was and is my everything ma'am. And if you don't think I don't know what an
ounce of HURT anguish and pain is, you are preaching to the wrong woman, because I've
[been] in the public eye since I was born." Two days before her death, Whitney Houston
gave her final performance at a pre-Grammys party hosted by longtime friend Kelly Price. On February
9, 2012, Price hosted a party to honor the genre of R&B. During the event, Houston surprised the
crowd by jumping on stage, grabbing the mic, and singing the gospel tune "Jesus Loves Me."
As joyful as the performance was, the headlines that followed the event were
messy. According to the New York Daily News, there was speculation regarding
how much Houston had to drink and her overall state by the end of the evening. What's more,
there were the rumblings about an altercation with Stacy Francis, as Houston believed The X Factor
alum was pursuing Ray J. When The Hollywood Reporter asked for comment, Francis said,
"I have the utmost respect for Whitney Houston and her talent."
Price later recounted the night with The Hollywood Reporter and maintained that
there wasn't any drama and that Houston only had fun at the party. Price told the outlet:
"I'm talking because I want people to know the truth about how things were at her last
performance. That night was about what you saw onstage. When she left the club,
she left tired and drained because we had all danced ourselves into an absolute frenzy."
In the week leading up to the 2012 Grammys,
Whitney Houston's stay at the Beverly Hilton made waves. At a press junket
held at the hotel ahead of Clive Davis' annual Grammys party, the Los Angeles Times observed,
"Though Houston greeted people with a warm smile, she appeared disheveled
in mismatched clothes and hair that was dripping wet with either sweat or water."
The outlet also said she seemed "erratic" and noted that she was apparently spotted
doing handstands by the Beverly Hilton pool. In the middle of an interview with Davis, Monica,
and Brandy, Houston interjected to hand Brandy a note. She was still dripping wet from the pool
and talking about how much she enjoyed swimming. A source told CNN that in the days before her death,
guests at the hotel were also worried about her and her behavior. Sadly, the singer never made it
to Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala on February 11, 2012. Just before the party kicked off
at the Beverly Hilton, the singer was found unresponsive in her bathtub in her hotel room.
"It's tragic and painful."
It was a tragic ending to a story of a star fighting to shine again.
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).