Years of substance abuse led to Valerie Fairman's early death at the age of 23 on Thursday.

On Friday David Pryce, the 23-year-old's ex boyfriend, talked to People magazine about his struggle to get Valerie off drugs, revealing he sent her to rehab in the past.

Pryce - who is also the uncle of the father of Valerie's seven-year-old daughter Nevaeh Lynn - took her death hard, even blaming himself for the tragedy.

New information: David Pryce, Valerie Fairman's ex, revealed he tried to save the former reality star by sending her to rehab

Pictured:Pryce - who is the uncle of the father of Valerie's seven-year-old daughter Nevaeh Lynn - took her death really hard and even blamed himself for the tragedy.

'She was trying to be clean,' he confessed, discussing the time he sent her to be rehabilitated, 'but one time I came home and she was lying on the couch passed out with a cigarette burning, that was it.

'We wouldn't have a place to live if she [had] burnt the house down.'

David continued to divulge that the late reality star went in for a 28-day program but left to move in with her sister. He added: 'She's been on and off ever since. It's just a shame.'

He continued: 'I was really upset when I first heard, no one wanted to tell me.

'I blamed myself. I should've tried harder. But I couldn't get her to come back...There was just no way to get in touch with her and tell her that.'

Failed attempt: David continued to divulge that the late reality star went in for a 28-day program but left to move in with her sister

'I wish that I could have done more for her, that’s basically how I feel,” Pryce told Us Weekly.

'She was trying so hard. … It’s a lifelong problem.'

David explained that Nevaeh Lynn is too young to understand what has happened to her young mother, and that she is staying with her grandmother - Fairman's adoptive mother.

'I see her daughter all of the time, [she] is perfect. She's so happy and gets a lot of attention.'

Call for action: David took to Facebook to express his outrage at anyone that sells drugs and urged them to stop

David and Valerie dated for nine months nearly three years ago. He is also the uncle of Matthew, Valerie's child's father.

Despite David's efforts, Valerie eventually gave in to her addictions.

Troublesome past: A week before her passing, Fairman was arrested for resisting arrest and making a false identification to law enforcement

The former 16 And Pregnant star was found unresponsive in a friend's house, locked in a bathroom until a friend kicked in the door.

Her death is still under investigation, but is believed to be due to a drug overdose.