Chris Cornell’s widow has paid tribute to the Audioslave and Soundgarden singer, saying she knows he was not himself the night he died.
Vicky Cornell also apologised for not being with the 52-year-old former grunge star she had been married to for over a decade on the night he hanged himself.
Her tribute came as it emerged Cornell was cremated in a private ceremony at the Hollywood Forever cemetery in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
In an open letter posted to Billboard.com, Vicky Cornell wrote: “You had always said I saved you, that you wouldn’t be alive if it were not for me.
“We had the time of our lives in the last decade and I’m sorry, my sweet love, that I did not see what happened to you that night.
“I’m sorry you were alone, and I know that was not you, my sweet Christopher. Your children know that too, so you can rest in peace.”
She vowed to stand up for the musician and care for “our beautiful babies”.
She added: “I will think of you every minute of every day and I will fight for you.
“You were right when you said we are soulmates. It has been said that paths that have crossed will cross again, and I know that you will come find me, and I will be here waiting.
“I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the history of loving and more than anyone ever will.”
A private funeral for the musician will be held at the same cemetery on Friday.
After the ceremony, fans will be invited to pay their respects at the grave where his ashes will be buried.
Cornell was found hanged at the MGM Grand hotel in Detroit on 19 May. The results of a full post-mortem and toxicology tests are awaited.
Vicky Cornell has previously indicated that the star might have taken a higher dose of an anti-anxiety drug than he was prescribed.