Melissa Etheridge mourned the death of the late David Crosby on Thursday.
The 81-year-old was the sperm donor who helped Etheridge conceive.
"I am grieving the loss of my friend, and Bailey's and Beckett's biological father, David," Etheridge wrote.
"He gave me the gift of family. I will forever be grateful to him, [son] Django, and [wife} Jan. His music and legacy will inspire many generations to come. A true treasure."
The Crosby, Stills & Nash singer provided sperm for Etheridge and her then-partner Julie Cypher's children — Bailey, 25, and Beckett, who died from opioid addiction in 2020.
Etheridge revealed in early 2000 that Crosby was, indeed the donor for her and Cypher's kids in an interview with CNN's Larry King Live.
Fans flocked to her social media pages to pay condolences. "You're the first person I thought of when I heard of his passing because of the enormous conscious decision made have him father your son," wrote one. "It's heartbreaking."
Etheridge additionally has a daughter and son with former partner Tammy Lynn Michaels. The children, fraternal twins, were conceived by an anonymous donor.
In 2020, upon Beckett's death, Crosby made a short statement in regard to a tweet that suggested he had no contact with Beckett.
"Not true," he responded, simply.
Crosby's death was announced by his wife via a statement to Variety. "It is with great sadness after a long illness, that our beloved David (Croz) Crosby has passed away," she said.
"He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son Django. Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us. His legacy will continue to live on through his legendary music."
She concluded, "Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. We will miss him dearly. At this time, we respectfully and kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers."
In 2019, the rocker — who made an indelible mark on '60s-era music and beyond — spoke to PEOPLE about his ups and downs, sharing that through everything, it was music that kept him going.
"It's the one contribution I can make," he said at the time. "See, it's dark out here now. The world is not a happy place. Music's a lifting force. Music makes things better."
