Coming to terms/Tragedy touches Backstreet Boy

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jun 21, 2000 Source: NY Daily News, Hollywood section, June 20, 2000 Submitted By: PSUBSBFAN@aol.com Published Tuesday, June 20, 2000, in the San Jose Mercury News Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough admits he still hasn't come to grips with the 1998 death of his sister Caroline, who had suffered with lupus for 13 years. ``My life has gone so full-speed on a roller coaster, sometimes, I don't know if I really realize she's gone,'' says the pop star known as Howie D., whose first major fundraising event in memory of Caroline is coming up Sunday -- Lupus 2000 at Universal Studios CityWalk in Orlando, Fla. The 26-year-old says he's wondered whether ``I was mourning as much as I should have. . . . But maybe Caroline meant for me to be strong and supportive to our mom and the rest of our family, and for them to be able to enjoy all this'' -- the distraction provided by his international fame and success with the Backstreet Boys. Tragedy touches Backstreet Boy Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough admits he still hasn't come to grips with the 1998 death of his sister Caroline, who had suffered with lupus for 13 years. "My life has gone so full-speed on a roller coaster, sometimes I don't know if I really realize she's gone," says the pop star knows as Howie D., whose first major fund-raising event in memory of Caroline is coming up Sunday-Lupus 2000 at Universal Studios CityWalk in Orlando, Fla. Dorough recounts that he got the call that Caroline had taken a sudden turn for the worse and to come to North Carolina the morning after he and his group mates won an MTV Award in LA. He rushed to the airport trying to catch the first commercial flight home, but "missed it by 10 minutes". By the time he made it to the hospital, Caroline had passed away. The group canceled "a couple of shows" while Howie stayed in North Carolina two days for the funeral, "but two hours afterward, I was on a plane, going to do a show in South America". And he hasn't stopped working since. With the group set to start recording a new album July 1, Howie's huddling with Kenny (Babyface) Edmonds writing songs in LA-prepping for this weekend's event. His sister Angie has been coordinating the fund-raiser, at which he'll perform with his sister Pollyanna on her song "Fly to Heaven". Written by Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith Comment on this item. Next Item: Backstreet Boys Set Up Studio Time Prev Item: Willits finds 'The One'