David Bowie's Daughter Lexi Jones Opens Up About Rehab After Father's Cancer Diagnosis

Lexi Jones shares her struggles with depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse as a teenager following her father's illness.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Alexandria 'Lexi' Jones, the daughter of singer David Bowie and model Iman, has revealed details about her difficult childhood and teenage years. In a video shared on Instagram, Lexi discussed being forced into a wilderness therapy program and residential treatment center as a teen due to depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse issues that began after her father's cancer diagnosis in 2014. Lexi said she felt 'stripped of any right to stay in my own life' when she was removed from her home for treatment.

Why it matters

Lexi's story sheds light on the challenges faced by children of famous parents and the complex mental health issues that can arise, especially during difficult family circumstances like a parent's serious illness. Her openness about her struggles with addiction and treatment may help destigmatize these issues and encourage others to seek help.

The details

Lexi said her father's liver cancer diagnosis in 2014, when she was 14 years old, was her 'breaking point.' While others experimented with drugs and alcohol, Lexi said she was 'escaping' her 'complicated mind,' family, and school. She was forcibly removed from her home and sent to a wilderness therapy program for 91 days, where she had to learn survival skills like making fires. Lexi was then transferred to a residential treatment center and boarding school, where she remained for a year and learned of her father's death in 2016.

  • In 2014, when Lexi was 14 years old, her father David Bowie was diagnosed with liver cancer.
  • In 2015, at age 15, Lexi was forcibly removed from her home and sent to a 91-day wilderness therapy program.
  • After the wilderness program, Lexi was transferred to a residential treatment center and boarding school, where she remained for a year.
  • Lexi learned of her father's death in January 2016 while she was in the residential treatment program.

The players

Alexandria 'Lexi' Jones

The daughter of singer David Bowie and model Iman, who has opened up about her struggles with depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse as a teenager.

David Bowie

The iconic British singer-songwriter who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2014, which Lexi says was a 'breaking point' in her mental health issues.

Iman

Lexi's mother, the Somali-American model who was married to David Bowie.

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What they’re saying

“For me, it wasn't about fun. I wasn't experimenting, I was escaping. Escaping from my complicated mind, my complicated family, my complicated school. When the party ended for everyone else, I kept going. And I drank and got high alone.”

— Lexi Jones (People magazine)

“I felt stripped of any right to stay in my own life. By the time the door shut, my parents were already gone.”

— Lexi Jones (People magazine)

“This was not camping. This felt like boot camp's weird cousin. And it was disguised as something therapeutic.”

— Lexi Jones (Fox News)

The takeaway

Lexi Jones' powerful story highlights the immense challenges that children of famous parents can face, especially when dealing with a parent's serious illness. Her openness about her struggles with mental health, addiction, and treatment may help destigmatize these issues and encourage others to seek support during difficult times.