Ricki Lake Gets Real About Ex-Husband Christian Evans' Suicide 10 Years Later

Ricki Lake has never been shy about telling the truth, but her recent comments on Watch What Happens Live hit a different level. While appearing alongside Mary Cosby from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Lake shared that she knows what it’s like to grieve publicly. She told Cosby,“I also am someone who is very accustomed to loss. I lost my husband almost ten years ago.”

That husband was Christian Evans, a jewelry designer who Lake married in 2012. The two split in 2014 but remained close friends until his death by suicide in 2017 at age 45. Evans had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and Lake has spoken movingly about his struggle over the years.“The world didn’t understand this man, but I did,”she once said. Since then, Lake has found happiness again, marrying Ross Burningham in January 2022, but she still honors Evans’memory, including on the fifth anniversary of his death.

Lake’s willingness to talk about grief, mental health, and loss in such an open way matters. Suicide prevention and bipolar disorder awareness are conversations that deserve more airtime, and when someone with Lake’s platform speaks honestly, it helps chip away at the stigma. Plus, her message to Cosby is one anyone can relate to: you’re not alone in this.

Have you ever supported a loved one through a mental health struggle? How did you show up for them? Let us know in the comments.