Anthony Riley Struggled With Addiction Before Committing Suicide

Anthony Riley struggled with addiction and mental illness and unfortunately, he could not continue on with his battle. The 28 year old singer, who was recently on season 8 of “The Voice” was found hanging in the basement of his Philadelphia apartment last Tuesday. The even more horrific side to the story is that his body was not discovered until Friday, when one of Riley’s friends came to see him and discovered his lifeless body.

“The Voice” contestant’s death has been ruled a suicide, which has a lot of people in complete shock.
Riley, was a famous face around Philadelphia’s Center City. Riley was an infamous street performer, that sang Motown and pop songs for tips on the streets of Philadelphia. He also worked with the city on getting laws passed for street performers to accept tips for their skills. Riley was also working on a new album, which leaves many people confused on why and how he could have taken his own life. His sister, Halima Miley, stated, “The city was his family. Everybody knew him, he couldn’t walk two steps without someone saying, ‘Anthony, how you doin’?’”

The sad realization is that Anthony Riley struggled with addiction and mental illness and he simply could not overcome it. Riley abruptly left Season 8 of “The Voice” for personal reasons, which we later found out was because he entered a two week rehab program for substance abuse addiction. Anthony Riley made history on “The Voice” for receiving the fastest four chair turn around from the judges after his audition.

Riley opened up about his addiction and mental illness problems. He claimed that he struggled with drug addiction for two years, but was turning his life around for the better. That is the problem with addiction and mental illness, even if you want to turn your life around, it is easier said then done. If you do not keep up with your medication or meetings or something to keep you in a healthy lifestyle, things can fall apart very quick.

Riley knew that maintaining a healthy lifestyle was the key to staying sober and mentally well. That is why he left the show. He claimed they were working 14 to 16 hours a day, rehearsing songs and the stress was just too much. Riley explained, “They made sure we understood what we were getting ourselves into.” Riley continued, “It’s stressful; there are a lot of days that can turn into lonely days.” Riley continued on with a very true statement, “Lonely days aren’t good for someone dealing with depression, mental health issues, or substance abuse.”

One of Riley’s quotes on struggling resonates as deeply heartbreaking after his suicide was discovered, “One of the reasons I’m proud of being of a Philadelphian is that we all have our own struggle, no matter what you do, no matter how far down you go, you can always make a comeback.” He continues with his positive message, “I just hope someone hears this message. It’s not worth pursuing anything other than your dreams.” Sadly, Riley did not look to himself for this inspirational quote before he took his own life. Addiction and mental illness are very serious, if you or a loved one needs help call us immediately.

http://www.thewrap.com/the-voice-contestant-anthony-rileys-death-ruled-a-suicide/