Kate Spade’s Brother Begs Fans “Not to Belittle Her Health Issues” After Death

While worldwide fans of Kate Spade's work are devastated by her death, no one is as heartbroken as her family. The designer's brother Earl Brosnahan spoke out about the tragic loss on June 7, and he's hoping to stop people from spreading any more rumors about his late sister.

“We are grateful for the incredible outpouring of love and support the family has received over the last few days,” he told People. “We should all remember the beauty and joy that Kate brought to this world. But it is sad and very hurtful, given the pain the family is enduring, that people with no real knowledge of the situation are leaking false, speculative information that maligns Kate’s character and belittles the health issues she bravely fought. We once again ask that the family’s privacy be respected during this challenging time.”

Kate's husband Andy Spade spoke out about the mental illness that lead to Kate's suicide one day earlier. In the statement, he revealed that she had been battling anxiety and depression for years. Though she eventually succumbed to her desires to end her life, she fought valiantly against those urges for a long time beforehand. Andy said that for the last five years, she had been seeing doctors regularly and taking medication, but it was not enough.

Fans were surprised to learn that Andy also admitted he had not been living with Kate for the last 10 months. Reports had previously claimed that her suicide was sparked by him wanting a divorce while she did not, but he said they had never discussed divorce and were doing everything they could to fix their marriage and co-parent their 13-year-old daughter, Bea. Our hearts go out to Earl, Andy, and the rest of Kate's family in this difficult time.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.