Elton and Donatella renew friendship
Elton John is thrilled his old friend Donatella Versace is finally sober, because they can finally renew their friendship after years of turmoil.
The flamboyant singer was close friends with the blonde designer and her late brother Gianni, until the fashion legend was murdered outside his Miami, Florida home in July 1997.
After Gianni's death, devastated Donatella's addiction to cocaine spiralled, leading her to avoid John, who had been sober since 1991.
Donatella recalls: "Cocaine used to be a lot of fun - but it all ended up in drama and depression. I was afraid to see Elton because he knew the reality."
Elton admits: "We drifted apart. She didn't want to see me and I didn't want to see her. When Gianni died and her drug use increased, I felt a huge part of my life had disappeared."
Finally in June 2004, Elton joined Donatella's friends and family staged an 'intervention' and she agreed to kick her drug addiction at an Arizona rehabilitation clinic.
Hailing Donatella's first year of sobriety, Elton says: "All she talks about, and all I talk about when I got sober, is how great it is to be sober. I'm keeping an eye on her. I think she's really got it. I'm
so happy to have her back in my life."
