Last Updated: 21 Oct 2009

American celebrity DJ found dead

You may or may not be familiar with the name DJ AM but will no doubt be aware of his miraculous and at times unbelievable story.

The former fiance of Nicole Richie, DJ AM - real name Adam Goldstein, was a well-known face in America as a well-respected DJ.

His history and triumph over adversary has led many celebrities to praise him for his determination and bravery.

As a child his drug-addict father was very verbally abusive to him and turned out to be secretly gay. He was jailed for fraud and then died of AIDS.

The stress of Adam's childhood led to an addiction to crack cocaine which saw him at one point try to commit suicide but was unsuccessful when the gun he aimed at his head didn't go off.

He got off drugs and was sober for 9 1/2 years - and was held up as an example to the youth of America of somebody who escaped the thrall of drugs.

He was engaged to Nicole Richie for a few years and also dated actress/singer Mandy Moore.

Last year a Learjet aircraft he and another musician, Travis Barker, were traveling on crashed killing the other four people onboard. Adam and Travis were both critically injured.

Although he appeared to make a full recovery over the last year, those close to the 36-year-old said he had been suffering from post-traumatic stress and survivor's guilt since the horrific crash.

He had just finished filming a series for MTV about substance abuse intervention and had been heavily involved with trying to get help and treatment for young people with drug problems.

Adam was found dead on the 28th of August in his home surrounded by drug paraphernalia.

Last week he and his girlfriend Hayley (pictured above right) had broken up and he was said to have been devastated which in part is thought to have contributed to his apparent drugs relapse.

An accidental overdose is said to have killed Adam in the end.

Sad.