Paulina Porizkova says she's 'utterly devastated' by ex Ric Ocasek's sudden death
Paulina Porizkova, her two sons with Ric Ocasek and their close friends are "utterly devastated" by his sudden death this weekend, the model said in a statement Monday.
Ocasek was married to the supermodel for 28 years, welcoming two children in the process, before announcing their split in 2018.
After news broke late Sunday that The Cars lead singer had died at the age of 75, Porizkova spoke out Monday afternoon, thanking friends and family for the outpouring of love they have received in recent hours.
Porizkova first posted a photo of flowers placed at the couple's former home with the caption, "Thank you."
She later added a lengthy statement from the family, adding that at the time of his death Ocasek was recovering "after surgery."
"Our two sons, Jonathan and Oliver, and I were making sure he was comfortable, ordering food and watching TV together," she added. "I found him asleep when bringing him his Sunday morning coffee. I touched his cheek to rouse him. It was then I realized that during the night he had peacefully passed on."
Porizkova thanked everyone again for the "outpouring of love" and added that, "We, his family and friends, are completely and utterly devastated by his untimely and unexpected death."
Ocasek, who was inducted with the band into the Roll Hall of Fame last year, was found at his home in New York City Sunday afternoon, local police told ABC News.
Though the surgery he was having and a cause of death have not yet been determined, the New York City medical examiner said he died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with emphysema as a contributing factor.
Porizkova revealed she and her husband had split on social media last year, writing, "Our family has always has been -- and still is -- a well-built car. When the four of us are together, we can go wherever the road takes us. But as a bicycle, my husband and I no longer pedal in unison. So, we're ditching the bicycle."
She added, "Rick and I have been peacefully separated for the past year. The photos of our happy family are, in fact, happy family photos; we are just no longer a couple …The love we have for one another is so wide and deep it's practically tangible, and that sort of love can never disappear."
