Whitney Houston credits her daughter with pulling her through her darkest days - and insists she would kill to protect her only child.
The singing superstar has made a triumphant return to the charts with I Turn To You, her first studio release in seven years.
Houston faded away from the music industry after becoming heavily involved in drugs and faced the breakdown of her marriage to Bobby Brown.
In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston revealed how her daughter Bobbi Kristina saw everything that went on in her debauched life.
Now, she praises her only daughter's strength for pulling her through her toughest times - insisting she gave her the strength to face the world again.
Winfrey tells Pride magazine, "She's smarter than I ever was, and she's with me every step of the way, saying, 'Mom, you can do this.' When I'd get discouraged and say, 'This is wearing me out,' she'd just go, 'No, mom, you can do this. Get up, get up.' She encourages me and inspires me. When I look at her and look in her eyes, I see myself. I say, 'Okay, I can do this.'"
And the I Will Always Love You star explains that the fear of losing her child's trust prompted her to her clean up her act - and admits she would do anything to make sure the 16 year old is never hurt.
She adds, "My worst fear was that I wouldn't be here for her when she needs me. Or that she will trust somebody else - that scared the s**t out of me. I would kill for Krissi. I know because I'm living for her, so I'm fierce when it comes down to it. I'm just fiercely protective. Nobody messes with my lair."