Demi Lovato‘s long-time backing dancer and friend Dani Vitale has strongly denied that she supplied the singer with drugs before her recent overdose, after rumours spread online about her possible role in Lovato’s relapse into substance abuse.
“I have NEVER touched nor even SEEN a drug in my entire life,” the 28-year-old wrote in a lengthy Instagram post, for which comments now appear to be disabled. “I DO NOT DO DRUGS, nor would I ever encourage, or supply them to anyone I love.”
Vitale was out part of a group who went out to celebrate Lovato’s birthday on July 23, but says that she was shocked the next morning to wake up and hear of the singer’s overdose. “My whole being was ridden with sadness, confusion, love and hopelessness,” she wrote.
She said that, immediately after Demi Lovato’s hospitalisation, rumours of her possible involvement began to spread on social media, with the fan backlash leaving her depressed, anxious and fearful, and unable to leave her house or her bed for three weeks.
Though she has since returned to leading dance classes in LA, Vitale said that the online chatter around her has affected her friendships and career and left her scared to check her phone and even go out and order coffee. She continued:
“The circulation of an UNTRUE story on the internet yanked my life, my reputation, my name and everything I have worked so hard to stand for, out from underneath me. A damaging narrative that demonized me, placed blame on me, and has since cost me so many wonderful moments in life. This UNTRUE narrative is damaging innocent people’s lives, mine included. We are so quick to point the finger with little to ZERO facts at all.”
The backing dancer ended her lengthy note by quoting Lovato, saying: “There’s so much hate in this world, we have to rise above … Never say sorry for who you are.”
Producers for the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards are unsure as to whether they will address Lovato’s overdose on the show, with a representative telling US Weekly: “We toggle back and forth with this big platform. Sometimes, the thought is, ‘Let’s use this for a greater good.’ But sometimes, we get feedback that people want to come in and escape the world for a minute.”
