Melinda Ledbetter dead at 77: Brian Wilson reveals wife has died as ‘heartbroken’ Beach Boys star calls her his ‘savior’
BRIAN Wilson has revealed that his wife, Melinda Ledbetter, died.
On Tuesday, the Beach Boys frontrunner revealed the news on social media.
On X, formerly Twitter, Brian, 81, shared a heartfelt statement to his followers.
"My heart is broken. Melinda, my beloved wife of 28 years, passed away this morning," he began.
"Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career.
"She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us. She was a force of nature and one of the strongest women you could come by.
"She was not only a model, our father's savior, and a mother, she was a woman empowered by her spirit with a mission to better everyone she touched. We will miss her but cherish everything she has taught us."
"How to take care of the person next to you without expecting anything in return, how to find beauty in the darkest of places, and how to live life as your truest self with honesty and pride. We love you mom. Give Grandma Rose and Pa our love," he concluded his thread.
The Good Vibrations singer shared a photo of Melinda when she was younger as well as a photo of the young couple.
'MY HEART BREAKS FOR YOU'
Fans flooded Brian's social media comment sections with praise and well wishes.
Most read in Celebrity
"We love you Brian," one wrote. "So very sorry to hear this."
Another commented, "Sending you much love," and a third shared, "May you feel her with you always and find the strength to carry on."
"She was a beautiful soul," someone else mentioned.
"I am so shocked and saddened to hear of Melinda’s passing," a fan shared. "I can’t imagine your grief. Please remember all the good times you had as you go forward."
The couple first met in 1986, as Linda sold Brian a Cadillac and they had an on-and-off relationship for three years.
However, in 1992, they rekindled their romance when they unintentionally ran into each other in Los Angeles, California, and eventually got married in 1995.
In 1998, Brian spoke to about the love of his life, "I’ve never had a relationship with a girl like we have. She’s a partner who’s also a best friend."
The two have five adopted children together: Dakota Rose, Daria Rose, Delanie Rose, Dylan, and Dash.
LOVE AND MERCY
In 2014, a biopic was released called Love & Mercy about Brian and Melinda's love and the toxic relationship he had with his controlling therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.
Actors Paul Dano and John Cusack portrayed Brian while Elizabeth Banks played Melinda.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The movie takes viewers into Brian's journey with mental illness and how he found a savior in Melinda as she helped him get out of Eugene's grasp.
The Wilson family sued Eugene as he exerted "undue influence" on Brian and eventually won their case in 1992.
