Reid Flair's mother explains why he feared returning home from Japan prior to his death, Ric Flair's funeral service speech quoted

The Charlotte Observer ran a feature story on the life and death of Reid Flair, who died on March 29. Reid's mother Beth Fliehr discussed his time in Japan that preceded his death in a Charlotte hotel room. "He was doing so great in Japan,” she said. "His mind was so clear. He was healthy. Everybody loved Reid over there. For the first time, he was just Reid – not Ric Flair’s son. His worst fear was coming home."

Ric Flair was quoted from the speech he delivered at Reid's memorial service in which he thanked local police for getting Reid out of trouble on multiple occasions. "I can honestly say I blamed myself the first couple days, but after talking with people I think he’s in a better place and he’s at peace, Flair said. "Because this had gone on a long time – and something happened that we didn’t have control over. But he’s a wonderful guy. I was so proud of him." Read the full story at CharlotteObserver.com.

Powell's POV: The story includes quotes from Reid's girlfriend, Whitney Burton, and other family and friends. It tells the story of how Reid struggled with the pressure that went along with being the son of a celebrity, and recalled his history of substance abuse. It's an excellent piece that is a highly recommended read. For those who may have fallen behind on the story, police are still awaiting the toxicology reports that will determine the cause of death.