Whitney Houston's Family Opens Up In Oprah Interview
By Nadeska Alexis
Oprah Winfrey secured the first interview with Whitney Houston's family on "Oprah's Next Chapter," which aired on OWN Sunday (March 11). Throughout the week we caught glimpses of the sit-down through brief clips with Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina and sister-in-law Patricia Houston, followed by the full interview. In the 90-minute special, which featured family members sharing their memory of the late singer, Bobbi Kristina explained that she feels her mother's spirit in her home and Patricia Houston discussed Bobby Brown and Whitney's battle with drugs.
Bobbi Kristina told Oprah that her mother's spirit still comforts her in the Georgia mansion where she lived. "I can hear her voice in spirit talking to me, 'Keep talking to me. I got you.' She's always with me. I can always feel her. I can always feel her with me," Bobbi Kristina said. "She always asked me, 'Do you need me?' And I caught myself, out of nowhere, I didn't even know I said it, I said, 'I'll always need you.'"
In response to Oprah's questions about the grieving process, the 19-year-old was honest. "I'm doing OK," she said. "I'm getting through it. I'm doing as good as I possibly can...just trying to keep going."
She described the final day she spent with her mother affectionately. "It was so early in the morning. I went to go get her and I said, 'Come lay with me,'" she said. "She stayed with me all night and all day. She was just rubbing my head and holding me. I just slept in her arms."
Whitney Houston's sister-in-law Patricia Houston opened up about Whitney Houston's drug problem and relationship with Bobby Brown, who she defended. "Honestly, I guess I would say it was the end of the '90s," she responded, when asked when Whitney's troubles began. "I can't say that he introduced drugs to her. I don't think that's true."
Patricia also described the moments following Whitney Houston's death. "I saw the hairstylist drop to her knees and I kept walking very slow," she said. "A woman opened her door and said, 'Is everything alright?' and I said, 'Dial 911'...I knew something was wrong. I was just numb."
"When I got into the room, I saw my brother trying to revive her to the point of exhaustion," Patricia said, referring to her brother Ray who was also Whitney's security guard.
