I am writing this with an extremely heavy heart. Mac Miller has died today of an apparent drug overdose.
There are people all over the internet blaming his ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande for being the reason he is no longer with us.
A little backstory: Ariana and Mac dated for two years and broke up this past May. Weeks later, Ariana was seen getting close with her now-fiancé, comedian Pete Davidson. After dating for only several weeks, Ariana and Pete were reportedly engaged.
People seem to not realize that Mac's death was related to mental struggles and drug abuse. That is all.
Sad as it is, no one is responsible for his death but him. Breakups are hard. I obviously don't know Mac personally, but I'm sure it took a big toll on him. It would on anyone. Two years is a long time to spend with someone, and to have it all end so suddenly is heartbreaking. But, to blame someone ending a so-called "toxic" relationship and moving on with her life for this death is extremely cruel and misinterpreted.
See also: Mac Miller Is Dead At 26 From A Disease We Still Refuse To Acknowledge
I'm definitely not a mental health/drug expert by any means, but it seems to me as though Mac struggled with drugs for a very long time. Ariana did not create his addiction, or disease, or whatever you choose to call it. If anything, she made him feel better for a while. No one is obligated to stay in a relationship where they are unhappy. So, she ended it and went on with her life, as anyone would. She has said many times since the breakup that it ended on great terms and that there was nothing but love. She did what she could to keep it positive and neither one ever said a bad word about the other.
No one will ever know what was going through Mac's mind when this happened.
To make assumptions based on the little pieces of his life that are made public is extremely ignorant. Mac clearly showed signs of a struggle and reached out for help on his latest album, "Swimming," released only weeks ago. I guess he tried to ease whatever pain he was feeling with drugs, and now he's gone. The world needs to wake up and realize that it's a mental illness that's to blame, and nothing more or less. Leave his past out of what happened to him today, and show some respect.
Rest in peace, Mac. Keep swimming.