Patrick Walden battled addiction but turned around before death at 46
Following the death of Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden at the age of 46, more tragic facts have emerged, showing how the former drug addict had completely turned his life around. The sad news was announced in a heartbreaking statement from the band, fronted by Pete Doherty.
On Friday evening (20 June), the group shared a heartfelt statement: "It is with deep regret and sadness that we share the news of Patrick Walden's death. We feel very fortunate to have known, loved and worked with him and we kindly ask for respect and privacy during these difficult times. Peter, Drew, Mik, Adam."
Frontman and indie icon Pete, 46, previously described Walden as "the best guitar player I've ever worked with", after playing together in Babyshambles. The band was formed after Pete left The Libertines in 2003 while he dealt with his own well-documented addiction.
Alongside Walden and his other bandmates, Babyshambles released much loved 2005 album Down In Albion, on which Patrick's distinctive musicianship left a mark in indie history. Including hits such as Killamangiro and F**k Forever, which made it into the top 10, Walden co-wrote six of the final tracks on Down In Albion.
Although Babyshambles continued until 2014, Walden left in 2005 as he struggled with his own drug addiction. He would occasionally appear at Babyshambles gigs, but he never made a full comeback to the band.
Walden was open about his issues with drugs and spoke about his stints of sobriety. The star admitted he first took heroin aged just 18, when he was injected at a party while drunk in 1997.
Intoxicated, he agreed to be injected, and then did it again the week after. His drug use spiralled, with Patrick telling the Express in 2017: "I liked it so much. I had no tolerance for it at the time. I was sitting there being sick but feeling so good. In hindsight it's just so sad.
"I did it again two weeks later and before I knew it I was asking someone to get it for me. I had to buy them some a few times and then they would introduce me to someone who could sell it."
Four months later he was completely reliant on the drug, living "hour to hour" after his " world became dark". His subsequent battle with drugs lasted for years, until a turning point came in 2016.
He was found by neighbours at the bottom of some concrete steps, covered in blood and weighing just 9st 4lb, despite being 6ft 2. Babyshambles drummer Adam Ficek and Liam Gallagher's guitarist Mike Moore were devastated by the news, quickly gathering funds to send him to rehab at The Cabin in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
The facility has seen other celebrities head there to battle addictions, including Walden's bandmate Pete, comedian Michael Barrymore and actress Gail Porter. In 2017, he returned to London after spending nine months at The Cabin, which uses exercise, meditation, CBT and clean eating to get clients clean again.
Just two years ago, Walden reflected on his sobriety on the 22 Grand Pod. He said: "Since I turned 40 I haven't taken a drink or anything. It's quite nice to say that. But my whole relationship towards it has changed. I don't want it anymore."
He also opened up on how much he had been enjoying the simple things in life, saying: "My experience is, for me, to not have that weight around my shoulders anymore, I've been enjoying life so much the last couple of years. Just simple things, being normal, playing my instrument, teaching guitar a bit, cooking food, watching movies, reading books.
"All these things, but my main driver was always that I can't tolerate feeling normal, I can't tolerate being myself. I have to alter the way I feel all the time, I have to numb myself, I have to anaesthetise myself."
He added: "I look back on it and i just feel really sad. I had a lot of help, so I'm lucky, and then I took responsibility and did what I needed to do and took it seriously."
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