It’s been nearly a week since Demi Lovato was taken to a Los Angeles hospital after suffering from an apparent overdose. As the singer recovers, her friends and family are beginning to open up about the incident, including Lovato’s close friend and backup dancer Dani Vitale.
Since the overdose, the dancer has been attacked online for allegedly instigating Lovato's drug use, per TMZ, with reports saying the incident happened after a night out celebrating Vitale's birthday. Vitale has not only denied she was with Demi at the time of the incident, but asked fans to stop pointing fingers at friends and family close to the pop star.
"I was not with Demi when the incident happened, but I am with her now, and will continue to be because she means the world to me just as she does to all of you,” she wrote in a note posted to Instagram.
She continued, “Like all of you, I have nothing but love in my heart for her. There is no need for any negativity towards the ones who care about Demi at this time. There is too much of it in this world as it is.”
Read the full post below.
Along with Vitale, Lovato’s ex, Wilmer Valderrama, has reportedly remained by her side since the overdose, according to People. “Wilmerhas spent hours at the hospital with Demi every day,” a source told the publication. “He seems very concerned about her.”
The singer has been open about her long struggle with substance abuse, including cocaine and Oxycontin addictions, but had been clean for six years. However, back in June she released a single called "Sober," where she disclosed her relapse.
Still, the overdose was reportedly a shock to some of Demi’s friends, who had no idea the singer had returned to partying and drugs. “A lot of people knew she was drinking again, but not that she was using drugs again,” a source told People. “That was a shock to a lot of those around her, even those who have spent extended periods of time with her over the last several weeks. When she’s slipped up or been close to slipping up in the past, the biggest concern was alcohol.”
Lovato is still recovering with her family and has been in “stable” condition. “Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers, and support,” Lovato’s rep toldVariety last week. “Some of the information being reported is incorrect and they respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now.”
