The ex-wife of Stone Temple Pilots star Scott Weiland has written an open letter asking fans not to glorify the tragedy of his death. The singer had battled addiction for many years, and was found dead on his tour busy last week.Mary Forsberg Weiland, who was married to Scott from 2000 until 2007, co-wrote the letter with their children, Noah, 15, and Lucy, 13.
Scott Weiland passed away last week at the age of 48
"December 3rd, 2015 is not the day Scott Weiland died," Mary wrote in the letter, published in Rolling Stones magazine. "It is the official day the public will use to mourn him, and it was the last day he could be propped up in front of a microphone for financial benefit or enjoyment of others. "The outpouring of condolences and prayers offered to our children, Noah and Lucy, has been overwhelming, appreciated and even comforting. But the truth it, like so many other kids, they lost their father years ago. What they truly lost on December 3rd was hope."While his family "don't want to downplay Scott's amazing talent, presence or his ability to light up any stage with brilliant electricity", Mary said they want to "point out that yes, this will happen again – because as a society we almost encourage it".
Scott and his ex-wife Mary together in 2004
Mary goes on to criticise those who will watch videos and read stories of celebrities misbehaving yet continue to buy content created by those troubled individuals. She then speaks about Scott's role as a father. "Even after Scott and I split up, I spent countless hours trying to calm his paranoid fits, pushing him into the shower and filing him with coffee, just so I could drop him into the audience at Noah's talent show, or Lucy's musical. Those short encounters were my attempt at giving the kids a feeling of normalcy with their dad."Following their separation, Scott met photographer Jamie Wachtel in 2011 and married her in 2013 – something Mary said only increased his separation from his children.
Scott and Mary pictured with their two children in May 2005
She concludes: "This is the final step in our long goodbye to Scott. Even though I felt we had no other choice, maybe we should have never let him go. Or maybe these last few years of separation were his parting gift to us – the only way he could think to soften what he knew would one day crush us deep into our souls."…I won't say he can rest now, or that he's in a better place. He belongs with his children barbequing in the backyard and waiting for a Notre Dame game to come on. We are angry and sad about this loss, but we are most devastated that he chose to give up. "Noah and Lucy never sought perfection from their dad. They just kept hoping for a little effort. If you're a parent not giving your best effort, all anyone asks is that you try just a little harder and don't give up. Progress, not perfection, is what your children are praying for. "Our hope for Scott has died, but there is still hope for others. Let's choose to make this the first time we don't glorify this tragedy with talk of rock and roll and the demons that, by the way, don't have to come with it. Skip the depressing T-shirt with 1967-2015 on it – use the money to take a kid to a ballgame or out for ice cream."