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Elijah Blue Allman, son of Cher, hospitalized following drug overdose
Elijah Blue Allman, son of Cher, hospitalized following drug overdose
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Cher discusses her 'love-hate' feelings for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Cher has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and she recently opened up about her 'love-hate' relationship with the honor.
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Elijah Blue Allman, the son of Cher and Gregg Allman, has been hospitalized following an apparent drug overdose.
Allman, 48, was admitted on Saturday, June 14. TMZ was the first to report the news.
USA TODAY has reached out to Cher's reps for comment.
The incident comes a year and a half after the pop icon filed a request for a conservatorship for Allman, alleging he suffers from "severe mental health and substance abuse issues." According to court documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in December 2023, the Grammy Award-winning singer claimed that her son was unable to manage his financial assets because of his alleged health issues.
"Elijah is entitled to regular distributions from a trust established by his father for his benefit, but given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, Petitioner (Cher) is concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will immediately be spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself, and putting Elijah's life at risk," the filing stated.
Allman objected to the conservatorship in subsequent court filings, and in September 2024, Cher dropped her bid to be appointed his conservator, according to Rolling Stone.
The outlet also noted Cher's legal team asked LA County Superior Court Judge Jessica A. Uzcategui for the case to be dismissed without prejudice, meaning she could potentially file another petition in the future.
Elijah Blue Allman's wife filed for divorce after court battle, kidnapping claim against Cher
Allman's wife of 11 years, Marieangela King, filed for divorce in April, according to People magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Allman's estranged spouse cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
"We had a beautiful 13-year journey, filled with memories I'll always cherish. I know we'll remain friends, and Elijah will always hold a special place in my heart," King told People in a statement. "As we turn the page to this next chapter, we kindly ask for privacy and truly appreciate your understanding."
King's divorce filing came nearly four years after Allman filed for divorce. Despite his November 2021 petition to dissolve the marriage, Allman filed a request to dismiss the divorce case in January 2024, and King's legal team consented to the dismissal. He refiled the request days later after the original dismissal motion was denied by a judge because of outstanding funds owed from a temporary support stipulation.
Elijah Blue Allman's ex accuses Cher: His estranged wife says Cher hired four men to kidnap him
Amid the former couple's original divorce proceedings, King alleged in December 2022 that Allman's mother Cher arranged for him to be removed from their New York hotel room on the night of their wedding anniversary in November of that year.
"I am currently unaware of my husband's well-being or whereabouts. I am very concerned and worried about him," King said in the filing. "I was told by one of the four men who took him that they were hired by (Allman's) mother."
Cher denied King's kidnapping allegation in an October 2023 interview with People and told the outlet that she was dealing with a family matter related to Allman's longtime addiction issues.
"I'm not suffering from any problem that millions of people in the United States aren't," Cher said. "I'm a mother. This is my job − one way or another, to try to help my children. You do anything for your children."
Elijah Blue Allman opens up about 'close calls' with drug abuse
Allman opened up about his history of drug abuse in a February 2014 interview with Entertainment Tonight. "I started with drugs (weed and ecstasy) around the same time that we all did, around 11," he told the outlet.
Looking to escape his past, "that's when you turn to those kind of drugs, you know, heroin and opiates," Allman said. The former "kind of saved me … If I didn't have that at that point, I don't know what I would have done. … If you can only just go through that time period and live through it and then get help."
Allman revealed that when it came to overdosing, he "did have some close calls and some moments of really feeling at the edge of mortality."
"I always kind of kept it a little bit safe, but you never can do that. Even though you think that in your mind, of course, the wrong things can happen," Allman said. "The wrong combination of things can happen, and you can just slip into the abyss. I knew it was wrong, and I knew that I was very unsatisfied with life at that point."
Elijah Blue Allman's father, Gregg Allman, battled drug addiction
Allman's father, Gregg Allman, a Southern rock icon and lead singer of the Allman Brothers Band, died in 2017. He had his own battle with substance abuse amid the band's ascent to music stardom.
Following the commercial success of 1973's "Brothers and Sisters," the group unraveled as its members wrestled with substance abuse, personal conflicts and solo careers. Allman was arrested on federal drug charges in 1976 and made himself unpopular by agreeing to testify against the band's friend and tour manager, John "Scooter" Herring.
Cher interview: Singer bares all about Sonny Bono, 'beautiful' Gregg Allman and why drugs are 'boring'
Allman's heroin addiction contributed to the demise of his marriage to Cher, which lasted from 1975 to 1979. In a November 2024 interview with USA TODAY, Cher opened up about how Allman's drug issues impacted their relationship.
'Oh, my God, I was so crazy about Gregory," Cher said. "I loved him so much and he was so wonderful. He was this amazing man who happened to be a heroin addict." She added with a laugh: "I guess you can't have everything."
If you or someone you know needs help battling a substance abuse addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, KiMi Robinson, Olivia Barker, Taijuan Moorman, Kristin McGrath and Melissa Ruggieri
