Ricki Lake Says Her Late Husband Had Bipolar Disorder & Committed Suicide
Following the recent passing of Ricki Lake’s ex-husband Christian Evans a few weeks ago, People has uncovered more details about the untimely passing.
Ricki reveals that Christian had been battling bipolar disorder, and that his manic episodes led to the couple’s divorce in 2015, even though they continued their relationship until last fall.
“I have to spread the word about recognizing this disorder and getting treatment as soon as possible,” Lake said to People. “Christian didn’t want to be labeled as bipolar, but he admitted he was in the note he left. That was him finally owning it. That was him giving me permission to tell his story.”
Ricki and Christian began dating in September 2010, and she puts it, she felt like the luckiest girl: “He was the funniest person. He was so charismatic,” she said. He had a lot of self-esteem issues and a lot of demons. But I understood him, and he was someone that I think a lot of people misunderstood.”
When the two married in April 2012, Ricki said they never fought nor had an argument. He showed up for her kids (19-year old Milo and 15-year old Owen). “He was this quiet force that was just all about love and goodness and wanting to help people.”
But in 2014, Ricki said she saw one of his first episodes: “I didn’t know what the hell hit me, because I didn’t know what it looked like, so I didn’t see it coming,” she said. “For me, someone who has lived with him for four years and seen how hard it was for him to get out of bed and be excited for things, I saw him starting to be happy. It presented initially as him being motivated.”
During his manic states, at one point Christian thought he could fly. “He thought he could cure cancer with his hands,” Lake added. “It was horrific. He just wasn’t the person I had been with for four years.”
The next month, Ricki filed for divorce and Christian was hospitalized under a 5150 hold and entered a treatment facility. “He did it to appease me,” she said. After the divorce, they eventually moved back in together. “I was still in love with him, so there was something romantic about it. I wanted to save him.”
But sadly, Christian had another episode. “I was upset, but I wasn’t surprised,” Ricki explained. “I knew he was having an episode, and there was nothing I could do.”
On February 11, Christian’s sister texted Ricki saying he’d emailed a suicide note: “I knew right then that he was gone. Everybody thought he was missing, but I knew.”
Two days later, he was found in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Read the full interview at People.