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Juice WRLD‘s mother Carmela Wallace has announced the launch of a new charitable fund to help young people facing mental health challenges.
- READ MORE: Juice WRLD – the NME obituary, 1998-2019
The Live Free 999 Fund, announced on Wednesday (April 22), aims to help youth struggling with addiction, anxiety and depression. The fund will support programs that successfully address these challenges, and aim to normalise conversation around these issues, particularly in underserved communities. The organisation will receive additional support from Grade A and Interscope Records.
The Live Free 999 fund was established by Wallace to honour the legacy of her son, real name Jarad Higgins, who died last December at the age of 21 from an accidental overdose.
“Young people around the world were truly touched by Jarad’s music because he spoke to issues and situations in his music that resonated with them so deeply,” said Ms Wallace in a statement.
“I was aware of his struggles with addiction, anxiety, and depression; we had many conversations about his challenges with these issues. I know he truly wanted to be free from the demons that tormented him. I made the decision upon his death that I was going to share his struggles with the world with the objective of helping others.
“It is my desire to help those who are hurting by providing access to education, prevention and treatment for opioid and other forms of drug addiction. It is my hope that Live Free 999 will help people just as Jarad’s music has and will continue to touch lives for years to come.”
Find the fund’s official website here.
Juice WRLD played his final tour in Australia in November 2019, playing his last-ever show a little over a week before his death. He had released two studio albums, 2018’s ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance’ and 2019’s ‘Death Race for Love’.
Following the official ruling on Juice WRLD’s cause of death in January 2020, the rapper’s family and team thanked fans for their support, saying they would be sharing “unreleased music and other projects” in the future.
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