In honor of his daughter’s memory and musical legacy, Amy Winehouse’s father revealed plans to open a charity foundation in her name, hoping to aid addicts.
Mitch Winehouse, who was very close to his 27-year-old jazz-singing daughter, expressed his grief at his daughter’s funeral at London’s Edgwarebury Cemetery last week. The Amy Winehouse Foundation, as he called it, would provide support for people dealing with substance abuse and include a rehabilitation center.
“I was with my cousin Michael when I heard and straight away I said I wanted an Amy Winehouse Foundation, something to help the things she loved — children, horses, but also to help those struggling with substance abuse,” Mitch said to She Knows Entertainment. “In this country, if you cannot afford a private rehabilitation clinic, there is a two-year waiting list for help. With the help of Keith Vaz MP, we are trying to change that.”
As a member of British Parliament, Vaz said he would be “very happy to help Mitch in any way I can with his important campaign to help rehabilitate those most vulnerable in our society.”
Since the untimely death of Amy Winehouse, the media has been abuzz with rumors of her recently private life hidden from the public eye as well as possible causes of death, from reports that she bought ÂŁ1200 worth of drugs in the last hours of her death to rumors that she was in the process of adopting a 10-year-old girl from St. Lucia before her untimely death.
The family has mourned the sudden loss of their daughter without any certain verification of what caused her death. Amy Winehouse’s autopsy was inconclusive and a toxicology report is expected in two to four weeks. It was reported that no drugs or drug paraphernalia was found in the singer’s apartment by police where she died.
According to her dad, the singer had kicked her drug habit over three years ago, but still struggled with alcoholism.
“The doctors said it was impossible but she really did it. She was trying hard to deal with her drinking and had just completed three weeks of abstinence,” Mitch said during his eulogy at the funeral service. “She said, ‘Dad, I’ve had enough of drinking. I can’t stand the look on your and the family’s faces anymore.'”
According to People and the British tabloid, The Sun, the family believes that the British star ignored the advice of doctors to gradually from her heavy drinking and quit cold turkey last month.
“I will talk a lot about her fantastic recovery,” Mitch Winehouse said. “Recently, Amy found love with [boyfriend] Reg [Traviss]. He helped her with her problems and Amy was looking forward to their future together. She was the happiest she has been for years. We all remember that great night at the 100 Club on Oxford Street, her voice was good, her wit and timing were perfect.”