Chris Brown's blind former stepfather regrets threatening to shoot himself - because he fears the impact of his actions really upset the son who was to become an R&B star.
Donnelle Hawkins has dismissed claims made by troubled star Brown that he abused the hitmaker's mum and left the young Brown "terrified", but he does regret one act that led to the end of his relationship with the singer's mum.
In an exclusive interview with U.S. TV news show Access Hollywood, Hawkins says, "We were together as a family (but) some things happened, where I felt our relationship was slipping away - that I was losing her (Brown's mother).
"I made a foolish attempt by getting the gun (sic) and threatening to shoot myself."
In past interviews Brown, who threatened to beat up Hawkins in one article, claims his ex-stepdad did follow through with his suicide effort - and shot himself in the head. But Hawkins insists the gun went off by accident - and cost him his sight.
He says, "It wasn't a suicide attempt."
The incident didn't end the marriage, but Hawkins' blindness led to other problems - and he fears that his former stepson, who is now in the middle of a violence controversy following an alleged attack on his girlfriend Rihanna, may have misinterpreted what really happened.
Hawkins insists he never hit Brown's mother, even though the singer told America's Giant magazine that his former stepdad was violent towards her - and once bloodied her nose.
He says, "I know that Chris misunderstood that incident... I had been out one night with another female and I came home that morning and she was very upset... Tempers flared, and in my attempt to console her, as I usually did, I got up to walk towards her and I tripped... Our heads collided."
But Hawkins admits he did "spank" Brown once when his stepson "got out of line with talking back, cursing, hitting at his mum," and he's sorry if his past behaviour hurt the hitmaker.
Speaking directly to Brown on camera, Hawkins says, "Chris, I personally want to apologise for anything I may have said or done to offend you. I wish you much success in your career, but, at the same time... you have to stop blaming me for your problems."