Worldwide exclusive!
Lory del Santo, Eric Clapton's ex-girlfriend and the mother of Conor (their baby died tragically) is breaking her silence! She is sharing with Daphne a song, Clapton dedicated to her, for the first time: 'the lady from Verona". ET/Insider and NY Daily News in the US, Sunday Times in the UK (on the right) along with Germany, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Far East, Croatia are already out. Other Daphne Barak's outlets are following.
After the song never before heard made its debut worldwide
on July 9th, 2006;
the video that never before aired followed
on September 10th, 2006.
Eric Clapton with Daphne, at his London studio, July 2003:
"It is a tricky goal to seek happiness, to acquire happiness... to be conscious of happiness is wonderful, but even that is difficult. When I am happy, I am grateful but it is not something I put a great deal of value on, really. "
Lory del Santo and Daphne
in Milan, July 10th, 2006
ABC News
(20/20) Exclusive:
Mother of
'Tears in Heaven' Inspiration Shares Story
Video Shows Eric Clapton's Son Happy Before Fatal Fall.
Eric Clapton and his son, Conor, in 1990.
(Richard Young/Rex Features)
Sept. 7, 2006 — Eric Clapton's song "Tears in Heaven" captures the grief and heartbreak the singer-songwriter suffered after the loss of his 4½-year-old son, Conor.
Now, 15 years later, Clapton's former girlfriend and Conor's mother is sharing never-before-seen video of the child who inspired the song.
Watch the full interview on "20/20" Friday night at 10.
Conor was just 4½ when he fell 53 stories from an open window. He was living with his mother in New York City.
"He went in this room, opened the door," said his mother, Lory Del Santo. "As soon as I entered the room and I see the window. Where can he be?"
For the first time, Del Santo talked extensively on camera about the heartbreaking events of that day to international interviewer Daphne Barak.
Del Santo also provided ABC News with exclusive access to her private videos of her son.
Coping With Grief
Although the couple were no longer together, Clapton and Del Santo shared their child's profoundly tragic death.
Clapton told Barak in 2003 he was able to work through his grief with music.
"I almost subconsciously used music for myself as a healing agent, and lo and behold, it worked," Clapton said. "I have got a great deal of happiness and a great deal of healing from music."
Although Conor's life was short, his death created a greater public awareness for children's safety.
"Use guards on windows and safety gates on stairs. It's easy, and it could prevent a terrible tragedy. Believe me, I know," Clapton said in a public service announcement.
Clapton and Del Santo traveled to England to bury their son.
Just days before Conor's death, Del Santo helped him with a letter to his father.
"And he said to me, 'What should I write?' And I said, 'Well, write I love you, Dad.' And he wrote that," Del Santo said.
"So, when we arrived in London, he receives the mail — this was after the funeral — and he, and I, was actually there. And, he opened up, and it was this letter," she said. "That moment I cannot forget forever."
Child of a Living Legend
The couple met in 1985 while Clapton, then 40 and already a guitar legend, was on tour in Italy.
Del Santo, a young actress and model from Verona, said they decided to start a family during their first weekend together.
Conor was born the next year.
"He was an angel, I think. Really, he was," she said. "He was beautiful, I think."
Del Santo, a photographer, documented Conor's life from the beginning. After his death, she locked the tapes away because they were too painful to look at again.
Fifteen years later, the videos show a happy child: Conor growing up as a toddler, emulating his famous father.
He loved listening to Clapton's music and had dreams of being like the famed "slow hand."
"I understand every kid wants to do what the father does, but in this particular case, he really wanted it very badly," Del Santo said.
A mother's tribute to her baby who died so young, but had so much talent and beauty to be remembered for... Remembering Conor (1986-1991)
Worldwide September 10th on:was already in the UK (Ch5), Australia (Ch7), Far East, Italy, Turkey
"...In an interview with acclaimed journalist Daphne Barak aired on American TV and worldwide,
Lory says: 'It was amazing...' "
UK The most famous love triangle in the music industry:
Pattie Boyd broke her silence about her relationship with George Harrison and Eric Clapton. (Click Here For More)
August 2007 Exclusive
As alsways... everyone is reporting on Daphne's latest exclusive:
La Stampa, Repubblica, Notizie...
Clapton ex had Beatle fling
Monday, August 13th 2007, 4:00 AM
LONDON -
Eric Clapton's former girlfriend says she and George Harrison had a fling three months after Conor, her 4-year-old son with Clapton, fell to his death from a Manhattan high-rise apartment.
Lory del Santo, a 46-year-old ex-model, says the three-day affair in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1991 was "sweet revenge" for both of them.
Ex-Beatle Harrison was paying back Clapton for stealing his wife, Pattie Boyd, while Del Santo felt frozen out by Clapton after Conor's death in March 1991.
A preview of Del Santo's television interview with journalist Daphne Barak appeared in The Mail on Sunday yesterday along with an excerpt from Boyd's new book, "Wonderful Today," in which she reveals how Clapton's drinking and womanizing destroyed their marriage.
"Life was one big party fueled by vast amounts of alcohol," writes Boyd - who left Harrison in 1974 after Clapton wrote the song "Layla" for her.
There were also good moments - like the night Boyd asked him if she looked all right and he responded by playing the song "Wonderful Tonight" that he had written about her.
Ellen Tumposky
A Daphne Barak Exclusive on ABC News (20/20)
July and September 2006 Exclusives
check
below for July & Sept 2006 exclusives
Daphne Barak interviews and television specials with musicians: tenors, rock stars...
Aaron Carter
Art Garfunkel
Bary Manilow
Boby Brown
Bono
Daniel Barenboim
Julio Iglesias
Liza Minnelli
Nick Carter
Phil Collins
Placido Domingo
Quincy Jones
Ravi Shankar
Ray Charles
Rene Fleming
Sarah Brightman
Spice Girl Melanie B. Sting
Trudie Styler
Yoko Ono
(Cat Stevens)
