Many know that Eric Clapton, 79, suffered a devastating loss when his 4-year-old son, Conor, died in a tragic accident in 1991. But few know about the final promise he made to his son.
“If I hadn’t checked the fax, he’d still be alive,” said Conor’s mother, Italian actress Lory Del Santo. On March 20, 1991, while in New York with his mother, Conor fell from a 53rd-floor window left unlatched by a housekeeper. Clapton, who was nearby, was on his way to pick up his son.
Just the day before, Clapton had taken Conor to the circus — their first full day together. He had bought tickets and promised to take him to the Bronx Zoo the next day. That sawdust-scented afternoon sparked Clapton’s desire to become a present father.
When Lory told Clapton about the accident, “he froze solid,” she recalled. Their relationship ended with Conor’s death.
Overwhelmed by grief, Clapton brought Conor’s body to England and later retreated to Antigua, isolating himself for almost a year. There, he turned to music for healing, spending days playing guitar and writing songs.
His sorrow eventually led to one of his most iconic pieces, Tears in Heaven, co-written with Will Jennings. The song became a tribute to Conor’s memory.
Shortly after the funeral, Clapton received a letter from Conor — his first — written with Lory’s help just days before the accident. It simply said: “I love you.”
“That is a moment I cannot forget,” Lory said.
