Clapton’s 4-year-old son fell from the 53rd floor while playing hide and seek. It was for him that he wrote “Tears in Heaven”

Behind the greatest hits there is often an equally moving story. The song “Tears in heaven” from the repertoire was created to commemorate the tragically deceased son of the musician, the fruit of his relationship with the model, Lora Del Santo. A 4-year-old boy fell out of a skyscraper window while playing hide and seek. As a result of his injuries, he died on the spot.

Eric Clapton wasn’t ready to be a father. Addictions were stronger than love for a child

In the 1980s, he was considered one of the greatest womanizers in the world. The press wrote about his numerous affairs, which aroused controversy, especially since he was married at the time. When his daughter was born in 1985, the result of another betrayal, the musician left her mother and became involved with another one, Lora Del Santo. Like previous mistresses, the woman quickly became pregnant. Although she was happy, the singer did not share her enthusiasm. Due to the difference of opinion, the couple separated, but gave each other another chance just before the birth of the child.

Clapton’s son, Conor, was born in August 1986. Despite strenuous attempts, the musician could not find himself in the role of a father. His addiction to alcohol and heroin also progressed during this time. Eventually, Lora decided to part with the singer and returned to Italy, while Clapton went to rehab.

As he began to rebuild his relationship with his son, tragedy struck. The 4-year-old fell out of the window

In March 1991, Lora and her child were in New York. It was then that Clapton took his son to the circus, and for the first time it was just the two of them together. In later interviews, he admitted that it was then that he first felt a real fatherly instinct. For the next day, the musician planned a visit to the zoo, but unfortunately they were not able to carry out their plans.

The next day, in a high-rise apartment in Manhattan, little Conor was playing hide-and-seek with his babysitter. During the game, he wanted to hide behind a cabinet located right next to the open window that reached from the ceiling to the floor. The boy fell from the 53rd floor and died on the spot. As a crowd of onlookers gathered around the body lying on the sidewalk, Eric Clapton walked past. He was on his way to get his son. “Eric was on his way to pick us up. I heard a fax came in and decided to check it out before going to Conor’s room. I was less than a minute late. If I hadn’t gotten that fax, he’d still be alive – Lora, tragic morning.

The death of a child left a painful mark on his parents. Although they tried to rebuild their relationship, they were unable to live together after this tragedy. After the funeral, the musician disappeared from the media for many months and suspended his career. After returning to the stage, he was no longer the same artist as before. “I’ll live with that guilt forever,” said Eric Clapton.

More up-to-date information can be found on the homepage.