It’s been nearly a year since the death of Swedish musician and producer, Tim Bergling (who was best known as Avicii).
Ahead of the emotional anniversary, the late DJ’s parents — father Klas Bergling and mother Anki Lidén — have just launched the Tim Bergling Foundation in memory of their son.
The Tim Bergling Foundation, according to Variety, “will initially focus on supporting people and organizations working in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention.”
In an official press release, Bergling and Lidén said that the foundation will work additionally to raise awareness towards controversial issues like climate change, development assistance, nature conservation, and endangered species.
“Tim wanted to make a difference,” read the statement. “Starting a foundation in his name is our way to honour his memory and continue to act in his spirit.”
READ MORE: Justin Bieber to take break from music to focus on ‘deep rooted issues’
The family released a series of statements following Avicii’s unexpected death last year. They revealed how “fragile” he was and how dedicated he was to his art.
“Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions,” they said. “An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress.
“When he stopped touring, they continued, “he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most — music.”
The statement concluded: “He really struggled with thoughts about meaning, life, happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace.”
Through the official Avicii website, his family now invites fans to share pictures of the star and share stories of what he and his music mean to them.
“Tim created music that brought people together with timeless memories from all over the world,” wrote his parents.
READ MORE: Nicki Minaj honours Manchester Arena bombing victims with moving speech
After releasing two albums, four EPs and a variety of remixes and singles, Avicii decided to retire from touring in 2016.
He suffered from a number of different mental health issues and decided to focus on just making music to avoid the stress of the spotlight when playing live.
“Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in,” wrote his parents. “He was a sensitive guy who loved his fans, but shunned the spotlight.”
Avicii passed away on April 20 at the age of 28. The death was ruled a suicide.
He reportedly died of blood loss after suffering self-inflicted wounds. His body was found in Muscat, Oman.
WATCH: Avicii dead at age 28
READ MORE: Celebrities we lost in 2018
News and additional information about the Tim Bergling Foundation can be found on the Avicii website — which is still regularly updated by his family.
Comments