David Crosby & His Wife Took Drew Barrymore in When She Was Struggling With Addiction as Teen | “Needs Safe Place to Go”

Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 24, 2023. It has since been updated.

Musician David Crosby sadly passed away at the age of 81 on Wednesday, January 18, but details regarding his warm friendship with actress Drew Barrymore have recently surfaced in the media. According to PEOPLE, the founding member of bands like The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, had previously spoken about his recovery after struggling with addiction for years. In a June 2021 interview on The Howard Stern Show, Crosby revealed how he and his wife Jan Dance met Barrymore at a treatment center when she was 14 years old and then the couple took her in for two months. Crosby told Stern in the interview that “they knew her because they were in recovery at that time as well.” Crosby explained, “We were going to meetings probably three times a week and totally sober."

"She was in a facility run by a friend of ours, and they said her insurance was about to run out. We're going to have to kick her out. And she was not ready. She needs a safe place to go,” he continued. Barrymore stayed with the musician and his family for two months after winning emancipation from her parents, as per PEOPLE. "We took her to school in the morning and tried to be a good influence. I think we were kind and loving, and it felt good to do," Crosby recalled. "You try to do stuff, and you're not sure how it's going to work out. I think that one worked. I think she became a responsible human being and is a nice person," he added.

The Charlie's Angels actress has since then opened up about her battle with addiction at a young age and how she recovered to lead a healthier life once again. According to CNN, Barrymore shared her intimate memory of getting blacklisted from Hollywood at the mere age of 12 after getting addicted to cocaine. She was placed in rehab facilities and mental institutions and had also attempted suicide at the age of 14. Now leading a sober life, Barrymore has found the strength to dive into the details of her addiction battle. 

“I’m gonna say something for the first time in a long time – I have not had a drink of alcohol in two-and-a-half years,” she told CBS' This Morning. “It was something that I realized just did not serve me and my life.” In her 1990 autobiography, Little Girl Lost, Barrymore penned down her experience of living with the Crosby family and the impact they had on her childhood. "Crosby. David, and his wife Jan, both of who were close friends of my therapist, Betty, acted as an invaluable support team to me, like surrogate parents," she wrote in the book, adding, "They were always there for me."

According to a statement released by Crosby’s wife to Variety, the musician died on Thursday and he was "lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son Django." The statement read, "Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us. His legacy will continue to live on through his legendary music. Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. We will miss him dearly. At this time, we respectfully and kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers."

References:

https://people.com/music/david-crosby-interview-about-helping-drew-barrymore-with-childhood-drug-abuse-resurfaces-after-his-death/

https://people.com/tv/how-drew-barrymore-found-a-healthy-relationship-with-her-mom-jaid/

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/11/entertainment/drew-barrymore-sober-two-years-cec/index.html

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/david-crosby-dead-dies-byrds-crosby-stills-nash-1235495467/

https://twitter.com/CBSMornings/status/1468946182940602373

Cover Image Source: (L) Getty Images | Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris; (R) Getty Images | Photo by Frazer Harrison