Vicky Cornell—widow of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell—visited Congress on Monday (February 25) to address the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioid Task Force and share the story of her husband’s death, as People and TMZ point out. According to People, Vicky Cornell discussed Chris’ death within the context of a larger issue—namely, the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis.

Cornell reportedly told the task force: “The part that hurts most is Chris’ death was not inevitable, there were no demons that took over.” She continued, “Chris had a brain disease and a doctor who unfortunately, like many, was not properly trained or educated on addiction.” According to TMZ, she went on to emphasize the dilemma of healthcare professionals overprescribing addictive medications. She reportedly stated: “We must integrate addiction treatment into our health care system—no more false narratives about the need to hit rock bottom, no more secret societies, no more shame—we must educate health care providers on how to treat addiction and best support recovery.”

Chris Cornell died in May 2017 of suicide. Shortly after his death, Cornell’s family released a statement stating that “if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.” In November 2018, Vicky Cornell sued her late husband’s doctor for malpractice.

Read Pitchfork’s Afterword feature “Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell Was More Than Just a Grunge Frontman.”