As you say, there are always reasons (not ours to know, and Meat has always kept professional counsel as to his). I, too, was sad for both of them, but again as you have said, life isn't a rehearsal and you just have to be ready to deal with it when it doesn't go as planned.
I agree it does read as therapy. I've always wished Patti success, and hope she doesn't allow this to continually cloud her future. Is therapy better done in public? Personally I don't think so
It tends not to get you attention of the kind that you really need to move forward, but rather the sympathy that can keep you stuck where you are. I really hope she can move on, because she has such talent ..