Since the inception of humankind, people have shown their selfish intentions regarding gaining money and fame. In an attempt to get rich, they disregard the implications of their actions on their loved ones.
Such was the case for Nick Gordon, who was associated with Whitney Houston's family since he was a boy of 12. Houston and her husband Bobby Brown had taken Gordon in and raised him as their own.
Left: Whitney Houston on an interview with Extra TV | Source: YouTube/Extra TV. Right: Bobbi Kristina and her boyfriend Nick Gordon at the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
A ROMANCE BREWS BETWEEN KRISTINA AND GORDON
They began sending flirty messages to each other and posting photos together on social media even though they initially denied any speculations that they were dating.
Following Houston's demise in 2012, however, their relationship took a more serious tone. Gordon even proposed to Kristina with a ring that was once Houston's, and she said yes, but they continued to deny any rumors that they were an item.
Eventually, the couple came clean about their romantic relationship. The couple was first spotted on the red carpet premiere of Houston's movie "Sparkle" in August of 2012. At the time, however, they still had not come clean about their romance.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon at the series premiere party of "The Houstons: On Our Own" in October 2012. | Photo: Getty Images
They eventually ended up going public in July of 2013, and by the time 2014 was clocking in, the two announced that they had married in January that year, through a photo of the two lovebird's hands with rings on them.
The claim, however, turned out to be just that, a claim, and through his lawyer, Kristina's dad, Brown, strongly refuted the claim saying:
“Bobbi Kristina is not and has never been married to Nick Gordon.”
Bobbi Kristina Brown at "The Houstons: On Our Own" Series Premiere Party in October 2012. | Photo: Getty Images
KRISTINA'S HOSPITALIZATION
The couple seemed to be getting along for the better part of 2014, but trouble began in January 2015 when Kristina was found face down in a bathtub in their Georgia home.
Gordon attempted performing CPR on Kristina as the medics were on their way. She was then admitted to the hospital and placed under a medically induced coma.
A few weeks after Kristina was hospitalized, Gordon started claiming that he had been denied access to visit his "wife" in hospital, claiming that the family would not let him see her.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of "Sparkle" in August 2012. | Photo: Getty Images
As would come to be revealed later, more serious stuff was going on, and the denied visits were only the tip of the iceberg. The worst was yet to come.
In June, Bedelia Hargrove, Kristina's court-appointed conservator, filed a 10 million dollar lawsuit against Gordon, accusing him of stealing money from Kristina.
Other accusations played to the tune of Gordon physically abusing Kristina. He is even said to have dragged her upstairs and knocked out a tooth.
Bobbi Kristina Brown singing on stage with her mother, Whitney Houston in September 2009 in New York City. | Photo: Getty Images
LAWSUIT AGAINST GORDON
Barely three months later, Hargrove was back in court to file additional court documents accusing Gordon of placing an unconscious Kristina in a bathtub after injecting her with a "toxic mixture." Gordon denied the claims.
Hargrove claimed that Gordon had taken money from Kristina's bank accounts without her permission before and after being hospitalized. The lawsuit claimed:
“Even after Brown's hospitalization, and while she was in a coma, [Gordon] accessed Brown's bank accounts) and stole in excess of $11,000 from her bank account(s).”
Whitney Houston and her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown at the Beverly Hilton in February 2011.| Photo: Getty Images
The lawsuit further stated that Gordon had intentionally and with no authorization or consent transferred money from Kristina's account to his while Kristina was in the medically induced coma.
Further claims on the lawsuit stated that following their alleged marriage, Gordon used that misrepresentation to control and limit who Kristina could interact with. She also could not make any appointments without his approval.
Towards the end of June 2015, Kristina's health was still deteriorating. Under the supervision of her father Bobby and her aunt Pat, she was moved from a rehab center to a hospice facility.
Bobby Brown and family attend the film premiere of "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement." | Source: Getty Images
It was unfortunate that Kristina never regained consciousness to shed light on what had transpired between her and Gordon on that fateful day.
KRISTINA PASSES ON
Following her deteriorating health, Kristina met her tragic death in July of 2015, at only 22. The circumstances leading to her death were eerily similar to that of her mother, who was also found face down in a bathtub.
Kristina passed on while in hospice care. What followed was a frenzy of attention from media outlets and tabloids, as well as worldwide headlines, similar to the case after her mother's demise, only three years earlier.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon attends the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during the 56th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on January 25, 2014 | Photo: Getty Images
In a perturbing twist of fate, Gordon found himself in the middle of a legal battle, where he was found responsible for the death of his fiancée Kristina.
After months of disregarding the lawsuit against him by Kristina's family, the Fulton County judge ordered Gordon to pay 36 million dollars to the family for Kristina's wrongful death. Bobby spoke to US Magazine after the court order:
" All I ever wanted was answers relating to who and what caused my daughter’s death. Today’s judgment tells me it was Nick Gordon.”
Nick Gordon attends "We Will Always Love You: A GRAMMY Salute to Whitney Houston" at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on October 11, 2012 | Photo: Getty Images
But Gordon ignored orders to appear in court twice and was deemed "legally responsible" for his fiancée's death. Any testimonials from Bobby and Kristina's friends would be admitted through omission.
Following the court order to pay 36 million dollars in damages, Gordon never did speak out or give a formal statement. However, on November 18, 2016, he broke the silence when he tweeted a sad face emoji.
Up until then, Gordon had maintained silence. He had never once verbally commented on the death of his fiancée or the court proceedings requiring him to pay millions of dollars to the deceased's family.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on August 16, 2012 in Hollywood, California | Photo: Getty Images
But following the ruling, a family member came out to shed some light on the fragile state of Gordon's mind. Speaking to People, he said:
“Nick isn’t in a good place right now. He doesn’t have any money. You can’t get blood from a stone.”
Whitney Houston daughter Bobbi Kristina attends the concert of Whitney Houston held at Mediolanum Forum on May 3, 2010 in Milan, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
They claimed Kristina's family would not be getting anything from Gordon. The source also added that Gordon was likely to file for bankruptcy, adding that he was not in his right mind and was still mourning Kristina.
TMZ reported that Gordon was unemployed at the time and did not have a dime to his name. Gordon is later said to have disclosed that all the money he had made that year through interviews covered legal fees.
Gordon would live another few years, and on New Years Day in January 2020, he also met his untimely death after an apparent heroin overdose, five years after his fiancée's death, and eight years after Houston's demise.
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