William Friend, the husband of One Tree Hill‘s Bevin Prince, died at the age of 33, and her former costars have sent support over social media.
Friend was struck by lightning in North Carolina over the July 4th holiday weekend, according to USA Today. He was the CEO of Bisnow, a multi-platform digital media company, which posted the news on Instagram on July 6: “With profound sadness, we share some extremely difficult news: Will Friend, who took Bisnow to new heights as CEO, passes away at 33.”
“Heartbroken and at a loss… Our family is grieving for one of our own. Please lift up @bevinaprince in whatever way you are able,” Sophia Bush wrote in an Instagram story with a photo of Prince and her husband. “Show her the love she deserves; the love her husband always showed her.”
Sophia Bush/Instagram
Hilarie Burton Morgan shared a photo of herself, Prince, and Danneel Ackles alongside her message of support and a link to the GoFundMe for Friend’s memorial fund. “In every group of friends, there’s always the ‘strong one,’” Morgan wrote. “They’re the ones who show up when things are difficult. They bring laughter and light to dark corners. It’s important to protect those friends, cause they’ll never ask for help. Our friend @bevinaprince is one of those strong ones. She is light personified. As some of you know, her beloved husband @britwilliampassed this week. It’s unfathomable.” Read the entire post below.
Ackles also asked people to donate to the memorial fund and shared photos of Prince and Friend, along with a message about the late CEO and the couple’s love. “It is hard to find the words to describe the loss of someone like you Will. You did more in your 33 years than most will do in a lifetime. Your curiosity and zeal for any new adventure was infectious,” she wrote. “But of all your accomplishments, and there were many, I know you would say that finding Bevin was your greatest. You two had big love. That special larger than life love that evades even those who spend their whole lives seeking it.” Read more below.
As written on the GoFundMe page, Will Friend’s Memorial Fund will be used to donate to two causes he felt strongly about: Recess, the couple’s business, and the Special Operators Transition Foundation founded by Robert J. O’Neill, for veterans.