In an emotional video thought to be her last, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor opened up about the profound toll her teenage son's suicide had on her.
The video, which emerged on July 9, shows Sinead candidly discussing the harsh reality of her grief from within her apartment.
Today, her family confirmed the devastating news that the mother of four has passed away at 56, following her long-standing struggle with mental health.
Sinead's tragic passing comes months after her 17-year-old son Shane took his own life in January 2022, despite being on suicide watch at the hospital.
In this poignant video, possibly the final one of her ever released, Sinead shared the debilitating impact of Shane's passing on her physical and emotional wellbeing. "I look like [expletive] either way, which is why I didn't want to make a video," she admitted.
She continued, sharing the harsh reality of grief, "you know the way your kid unfortunately passing away - it isn't good for one's body, or soul to be fair. But anyway look let's not dwell on that."
With a resilience unique to her, Sinead then gave fans a glimpse into her apartment, sharing, "Here's my nice flat...there's a bunch of flowers my friend gave me today." Her sense of humor remained, as she added, "That's all I can show you because the place is a [expletive]."
The guitar hanging on her wall held the promise of future music, with Sinead revealing her plans to pen "some tunes."
In the caption of the video, she wrote: "Hey, some folks been asking I make video to prove identity .. Now, I've been up all night listening to Hindu Aestheticism books on You Tube."
The last public trace of Sinead is a heartrending tweet posted on July 17, in which she shared a picture of Shane.
In it, she movingly stated: "He was the love of my life, the lamp pf my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him."
Alongside several Spotify links to melancholic songs, Sinead dedicated one in particular to "all mothers of Suicided children."
At the time of her passing, Sinead, who adopted the name Shuhada' Sadaqat after converting to Islam in 2018, was believed to be splitting her time between Co Roscommon, Ireland, and London.
In a statement, her family conveyed their deep sorrow, saying: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."