Clay Aiken Tried To Reconcile With Father Before His Death

Globe magazine has more details on ‘American Idol’ runner-up Clay Aiken missing his father’s funeral and spoke with a friend of Vernon Grissom who says despite the singer’s efforts, there was no reconciliation before he died. “Clay tried all his life to forgive his dad and wanted very much for things to be better between them, but Vern never gave him a chance,” the friend revealed. “Clay was afraid of his temper, his anger, and violence, yet still reached out to him. But Vernon remained mean and difficult right up until the end. He broke Clay’s heart. I guess going to the funeral would have been too painful for him.”