Whitney Houston’s death in 2012 came as a shock to the world, but it might surprise
you to find out what ended up happening to her millions. Keep watching for the whole story.
The world was stunned on February 11, 2012, when the news of 48-year-old Whitney Houston's
death came to light. The musician had a career that one could only dream about,
selling over 170 million albums and singles worldwide, and becoming the most awarded
female artist of all time. Her rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You"
remains iconic to this day. However, Houston's musical success was only one aspect of her life,
as she reportedly struggled with substance abuse issues for years.
Tragically, Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room,
hours before she was supposed to attend the annual Clive Davis pre-Grammy party.
An autopsy later found that the long-time cocaine user had been the victim of accidental drowning
and heart disease. She had mild emphysema, and drug paraphernalia was found in her
room. The report concluded that Houston was intoxicated from cocaine when she died.
Many believe Whitney Houston's drug issues began when she married singer Bobby Brown.
However, according to The Irish Times, both of her brothers admitted that they had all
begun to dabble in drugs when they were in their teens. Nonetheless, it's well documented that her
substance abuse issues came to a head after the marriage. In his memoir "Every Little Step," Brown
admits to being shocked when he viewed Houston snorting cocaine on their wedding day in 1992.
"I was in a whirlwind by that point in time."
According to Vanity Fair, Houston's drug use reportedly escalated in 1993 after the birth
of Bobbi Kristina. By 1996, she was using cocaine every day, and it ultimately affected her career.
Houston was canceling sold-out shows and was even fired from an Oscar performance after
showing up to the rehearsal disoriented. In a 2002 interview, Houston famously said "crack is whack,"
although she admitted to doing marijuana, cocaine, and pills. And her erratic behavior
on the 2005 reality TV show, "Being Bobby Brown," only seemed to worsen her reputation.
She reportedly went to rehab twice, but this did little as Houston's addictions raged on.
Towards the end of Houston's marriage, both her career and her voice were badly damaged. In 2009,
Houston was working on getting her act together for a comeback. She
ultimately regained much of her vocal prowess. However,
reviews for her 2010 tour were less than stellar. In the days leading up to her death,
Houston was allegedly acting belligerent and disruptive around Los Angeles, per ABC News.
According to reports, she ultimately spent her final day alone before her untimely death.
At the time of her death, Houston was worth around $20 million. Undoubtedly, her estate
prospered with new music sales as news of her death spread. Houston had only one daughter,
Bobbi Kristina Brown, who became sole heir to the singer's estate when she was just a teen.
When her mother died, Bobbi Kristina was only 18-years-old. Despite her young age,
she was the sole beneficiary of Whitney Houston's estate. But Bobbi Kristina did not immediately
receive all of her mother's millions. Instead, her inheritance would be doled out every few
years until she would receive it all at age 30. After Houston's death,
Bobbi Kristina was said to have been focusing on her burgeoning music career and following
in the footsteps of both of her parents. Sadly, however, she never got the chance.
In a grim twist of fate, Bobbi Kristina would end up dying in a nearly identical
way to her mother. In January 2015, she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her Georgia home.
She never regained consciousness and died months later at the young age of 22. Per the BBC,
her death was due to immersion in water and drug intoxication.
It could not be determined if her death was accidental or intentional. However, Bobbi
Kristina's ex-boyfriend, Nick Gordon, was later found legally responsible for her death in 2016.
Interestingly, Gordon was an adoptive brother of sorts to Houston's daughter. Houston took the boy
in when he was 12-years-old after his parent's death and had said that he was like a son to her.
As for who would inherit Houston's millions, if Bobbi Kristina died before the age of 30,
childless and unmarried, Houston's will stipulated that her estate would go to
her mother, Cissy Houston, and her two brothers.
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).