Larry Birkhead Shares Emotional Message 15 Years After Anna Nicole Smith's Death

Anna Nicole Smith is gone, but she will never be forgotten. According to Today, Smith died in Florida following an accidental drug overdose. The star reportedly had the flu and had been taking a powerful sleep syrup in addition to several other drugs like chloral hydrate. Medical examiner Joshua Perper tole People that if Smith would've gone to the hospital for her illness instead of trying to treat it herself, she probably would have survived "because she wouldn't have had the opportunity to take the excessive amount of chloral hydrate." Chloral hydrate was also one of the key drugs found in Marilyn Monroe's system after her death (via PBS). Upon hearing the news of Smith's passing, many took to social media to remember the star. 

Sadly, Smith's son, Daniel Wayne Smith, died shortly before his mother from a lethal combination of drugs, per 19 News. She also left behind a daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, who has made plenty of appearances on dad Larry Birkhead's Instagram feed. Dannielynn and Larry also appeared on an episode of "20/20" (per People), and on the show, he gifted Dannielynn some of her mom's things. "When we talk about Anna Nicole, there were a lot of happy moments for her," Larry shared. "There were a lot of highs before there were a lot of lows." He also added that Smith should be remembered for the caring individual she was. Now, he's honoring her on a milestone anniversary.

It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since Anna Nicole Smith's death. On the 15th anniversary, Smith's partner at the time of her death, Larry Birkhead, shared a black-and-white photo of himself and Smith snuggled up on the couch together, and the two seemed to be really happy.

The photographer accompanied his post with a sweet caption to honor the late star. "Still remembering this one 15 years after her death. She was truly one of a kind," he wrote. "She struggled for love and acceptance. Just when she found a little piece of one or the other, life seemed to sabotage." Birkhead continued, adding that Smith was beautiful on the inside and on the outside. "Your love is alive still to this day, in the form of a truly one-of-a-kind teenager with her Mom's smile, beauty, and courage," he added. "Thanks to Anna's fans for helping keep her memory alive." Excuse us while we go grab a box of tissues. It comes as no surprise that fans have flooded the comments section with well-wishes.

In May, Birkhead penned another tribute to Smith, posting a photo of her visiting a nursing home and chatting with a woman in a wheelchair as he raved about her kindness. It's easy to see that Birkhead is doing his best at keeping Smith's memory alive.