The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson is mourning the unexpected loss of his wife, Melinda.
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Wilson confirmed the news with a statement Tuesday afternoon honoring his 77-year-old wife and the mother of his five youngest children.
“My heart is broken,” he wrote. “Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us. Please say a prayer for her.”
The couple wed in 1995 after meeting while Melinda was working at a Cadillac dealership in 1986. At the time, Wilson was far removed from his former bandmates and navigating personal hardship under the care of Psychologist Dr. Eugene Landy. While Dr. Landy’s assistance appeared to be life-changing in the first few years, it quickly turned toxic, which is when Melinda stepped in to help Wilson significantly.
Melinda helped Wilson gain independence and rediscover hi love for music, which led him to record new music shortly after they wed.
Melinda was 77-year-old at the time of her unexpected death.