Soundgarden/Audioslave singer Chris Cornell was found dead in his hotel room on May 18th, shortly after performing at Detroit’s famed Fox Theater. The coroner declared the cause of death to be suicide by hanging, but his wife of 13 years blames another killer.

She welcomed People into her home for this week’s issue, sharing beautiful memories of the life he had with her and their two kids Toni, 12, and Christopher, 11, as well as his daughter Lily, 17, from a previous marriage. But Vicky also opened up about the reason she feels he’s now gone.

“My Chris was happy, loving, caring and warm,” says Vicky. “This was not a depressed man - it wasn’t like I missed that. What I missed were the signs of addiction.”

Cornell had struggled with substance abuse since childhood but had been sober for years, says his widow. But at the time of the singer’s death, prescription drugs were found in his system, including the anti-anxiety medication Ativan. She says for reasons that have never been explained to her, the medical examiner considered his death to be a suicide within hours - before toxicology results or full autopsy results, before the conclusion of the investigation into the circumstances of his death, and before considering the possibility that the drugs in his system, individually or collectively, altered his mental state (the coroner can only comment on immediate cause of death, not on what precipitated it).

For Vicky, it’s clear that a drug relapse drastically altered his state of mind on the last night of his life. “He didn’t want to die,” she says. “If he was of sound mind, I know he wouldn’t have done this.”

Read more at People.com. For more on the Cornell family and how they’re coping, pick up the latest issue of People, on newsstands Friday.

Vicky has since spoken with The Seattle Times and revealed that she has hired artist / sculptor Wayne Toth to create a statue of her late husband, which  will take about seven month to create and will be placed somewhere in Seattle:

“He has already given me a design and the children and I love it. He is Seattle’s son and we will be bringing him home and honoring him, I hope, with all of you, your love and support.”

Go to this location for the complete report.

Local nonprofit Childhaven recently announced the establishment of the "Chris Cornell Music Therapy Program At Childhaven”, in memory of the late musician and philanthropist. Vicky Cornell has committed $100,000 to assist Childhaven's therapeutic early learning model for trauma-affected children. This announcement comes on July 20th, the date of Chris Cornell's birth.

"The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation is excited to join Childhaven to support its extraordinary work impacting the lives of those in need," said Vicky Cornell. "Chris and I always shared a strong belief in the healing and inspiring power of music, and through Childhaven's establishment of this program, we are able to keep the promise for Chris by continuing to protect the world's most vulnerable children."

Childhaven helps children from birth to five and their families overcome the effects of trauma such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, chemical dependency, and more. Children in the organization's therapeutic early learning program learn emotional regulation and cognitive skills that help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships and prepare them for success in kindergarten. Music therapy provides a creative outlet through which they can express and explore difficult feelings.

"Because of what they've experienced, a lot of children come to Childhaven struggling with anger and other overwhelming emotions," noted local musician Brian Vogan, who runs music therapy at Childhaven. "Being able to beat on drums is really helpful for them. Other kids are very shy, and music helps to bring them out of their shell."

Vogan also uses music to teach children about other cultures around the world. Kids get to interact with a wide variety of international instruments and learn about communities beyond the ones in which they live. Vogan added that he's seen "great breakthroughs over the years" watching kids interact with different instruments.

"We're honored to preserve Chris Cornell's memory with this program," says Childhaven CEO Jon Botten. "Music has the power to engage, to delight, and to heal. Thanks to the Chris & Vicky Cornell Foundation, more of our most vulnerable children will be able to use music to build the resilience they need to reach their full potential."

All children at Childhaven from infants to five-year-olds will be offered therapy through the Chris Cornell Music Therapy Program. The Chris & Vicky Cornell Foundation previously contributed to Childhaven's music therapy program in 2013.

Seattle-based nonprofit Childhaven provides therapeutic early learning, mental health, and developmental health services to children and families who have been affected by trauma-abuse, neglect, domestic violence, chemical dependency, and more-and the environmental risk factors that lead to trauma. The organization's science-based, heart-centered care prevents childhood trauma, heals those who have faced it, and builds the path towards a future in which all children and families thrive.