Six days before the overdose that killed him, music legend Prince overdosed on his plane, prompting an emergency landing that made headlines around the world. And now his protégée, singer Judith Hill, is opening up about what happened that night.
Singer Judith Hill
Hill was having dinner with Prince on their flight from Atlanta to his Paisley Park estate when he passed out, "his eyes fixed," she told the New York Times. Had she looked away for even a second, she might have thought he just was asleep, but she could tell something was wrong.
She yelled his name and shook him, but he didn't wake up. Fearful for his life, she and his aide, Kirk Johnson, told the pilot to make an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois. Paramedics then gave him a "save shot" of Narcan, a drug used to counteract opioid overdoses, and took him to the hospital. By the time he was there, he was awake, "which was a relief to me, because I thought he was gone," Hill said.
She said he told her, "I had to fight for my life. I remember hearing your voices from afar and saying to myself, 'Follow the voices, follow the voices, get back in your body, you gotta to do this,'" she told the Times. "He said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done, to get back into his body like that."
"Now he's gone, and I realize I was leaning on him a lot," she said. "And that's what's scary. I'm on my own."
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
-
Dua Lipa Swaps Her Valentino Dress for a Marni Mini SkirtThe singer accessorized her outfits with more than $120,000 of jewelry.
-
Harry Was Allegedly Crushed When William Received "Special Treatment""Poor Harry's face across the table," Princess Diana's former butler recalled.
-
Prince Harry Wasn't Informed About King Charles's Hospitalization"It looks like the duke only found out about his father's latest health update through the media."
-
In 'Opus,' Cult Leaders and Pop Stars Are One in the SameThe A24 film's costume and production designers open up about crafting fictional pop icon Moretti’s style and mysterious estate.
-
The Melancholic Sound of SuccessThe artist known as Japanese Breakfast opens up about finding her sound on a new album after experiencing whirlwind success.
-
LISA, Doja Cat, and Raye Perform a Glamorous 'James Bond' Tribute at the 2025 OscarsThe Academy Awards are for the pop girls, actually.
-
Aly & AJ Share What Music Shaped Them—And What's on Their Playlist NowWith their new album 'Silver Deliverer' coming soon, the sister act opens up about their musical preferences for the 'Marie Claire' series "Listen Up."
-
Beyoncé Wins Album of the Year for the First Time Ever at the 2025 GrammysThe superstar—who has the most wins in the award show's history—took home the biggest prize of the night for 'Cowboy Carter.'
-
Chappell Roan Wins Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys—And Called Upon Record Labels to Enact Artist Healthcare ReformThe Midwest Princess made a powerful speech while accepting the award for Best New Artist.
-
Doechii Wins Best Rap Album at the Grammys and Dedicates the Award to Black Women: "You're Exactly Who You Need to Be""The Swamp Princess" is the third female rapper to take home the gramophone.
-
RAYE Shares What Music Shaped Her—And What's on Her Playlist NowThe Best New Artist-nominated singer discusses Britney Spears, Charli xcx, and Nina Simone.
