How much pain can anyone take? I felt very sad this morning reading that the young son of singer Bobby Brown succumbed at the age of 28. The cause of Bobby Brown Jr.'s death is under investigation. Reports state that the younger Brown had been experiencing flu-like symptoms days before he died, according to a family attorney.

In a statement he made to TheWrap, Bobby Brown said,  “Please keep my family in your prayers at this time. Losing my son at this point in our lives has devastated my family. There are no words to explain the pain.”

Many know Bobby Brown as a songwriter and rapper, a maverick of sorts. He often collaborated with Teddy Riley and was one of the first artists to fuse hip hop and R & B into 'jack swing.' I have to admit that I liked the catchy sounds and harmonies of some of the boy bands, like the Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men. Of course, New Edition was on the top 10 list of the best of that genre. After Brown exited the group and went solo in 1985, he went on to write master hits that included My Prerogative and Every Little Step. 

But more might be more inclined to identity Brown as the former husband of the gloriously talented and beautiful singer/actress Whitney Houston. By all accounts, their marriage was troubled but their chemistry was undeniable. Houston was found unresponsive; drowned in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills Hotel Room at age 48 in 2012. It was just the day before the Grammy Awards. Although the death was ruled accidental by the LA Coroner's Office, alcohol, prescription drugs and street drugs were found in her room. Whitney Houston herself had talked about addiction issues that had plagued her for years. Tragically, in a terrible twist, Bobbi Kristina Brown was found three years later in a similar bathtub drowning. Her death was ruled drug intoxication that induced pneumonia. The young woman's boyfriend, Nick Gordon,  was implicated in her death and ordered to pay retribution to her estate, but he died of a heroin OD at 30-years-old. 

A few months ago, I caught a 2018 tape of Bobby Brown being interviewed on The Real about the safe house he has established for women who are victims of domestic violence like his daughter was. He seemed grounded. Brown was with his new wife Alicia Etheridge, with whom he has 3 children. He reinvented himself with a food company Bobby Brown Foods that carries his own barbecue sauce. Brown has been candid about his struggles and recovery from alcoholism. I hope he finds the strength and support to withstand the shock of this new and very sad development for him and his family.  

The final word on the official cause of Bobby Brown Jr's death is pending, but COVID-19 has been ruled out.