Vicky Cornell, wife of late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, has opened up in a new interview with People in which she sheds more light on the final days and moments of her husband’s life, saying that she may have missed some signs that the musician had relapsed in his long-standing battle with drug addiction.

Chris was found dead at the age of 52
in his hotel room after performing with Soundgarden in Detroit last month. The death was soon declared a suicide by hanging by the coroner, but Vicky has previously made it known that she believes her husband was not in his normal state of mind due to his overuse of Ativan, a drug he was prescribed for anxiety.

Vicky echoes those statements to People, adding, “My Chris was happy, loving, caring and warm. This was not a depressed man—it wasn’t like I missed that. What I missed were the signs of addiction.” She goes on to say that Chris had been sober for years, though a toxicology report revealed several drugs in the singer’s system at the time of his death, including Ativan, barbiturates and Naloxone. On how she may have been unaware on the possible relapse, she says, “I relaxed, I guess.”

“He didn’t want to die,” she says. “If he was of sound mind, I know he wouldn’t have done this.” She remembers Chris waking her up on the night of his death “on a rant” and slurring his speech. “I said, ‘You need to tell me what you took,’ and he just got mean. That wasn’t my Chris.”

“Addiction is a disease,” Vicky says, noting that she hopes telling her husband’s story may convince others to seek help for themselves or their loved ones. “That disease can take over you and has full power. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure other children don’t have to cry like mine have cried.”