The man who found Prince's body has spoken about the harrowing discovery, saying it was "a tragedy beyond words".
Andrew Kornfeld, the son of addiction specialist Dr Howard Kornfeld, flew to Minnesota to help the superstar before his father's arrival, after the California-based professional was recruited to help Prince overcome his struggle with painkiller addiction.
However, the singer never made it to his meeting with the doctor, after he was found unconscious in an elevator at his Paisley Park home on April 21.
Andrew Kornfeld was the person who called emergency services after discovering Prince's lifeless body, and a day after a representative for the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the artist suffered an accidental overdose of the opioid Fentanyl, Mr Kornfeld has opened up about the incident in an op-ed for CNN.com.
"Believe me, nothing can prepare a person to walk into such chaos and sadness," he says.
"As I told the 911 dispatcher on April 21, those on the scene were distraught, which was why I was the one to place the call. But what happened has made me think, long and hard, about what steps we must take to prevent such entirely unnecessary loss of life."
He says the loss of the icon has made him wonder what may have happened had Prince received the help he needed just a day earlier than scheduled.
"His death was a tragedy beyond words," he says. "He was an inspiration to so many, and in the brief time I spent in Minnesota, I saw just how good a friend he was to those closest to him.
"In the weeks that have passed since April 21, I have thought about what might have produced a different outcome. What if his troubles could have been addressed effectively, and much sooner ... ?"
Authorities in Minnesota are still investigating how the singer managed to obtain the multiple prescription painkillers found in his home.
