Real Housewives star Lauri Peterson has been left devastated following the death of her son at the age of just 35. Lauri, 63, is best known for appearing on Real Housewives of Orange County . She joined the show in season 1 as a struggling single mom, with viewers following her journey to a fairytale wedding with her third husband, George Peterson. The reality star and her partner welcomed son Joshua-Michael in 1988, followed by daughters Ashley and Sophie. Taking to
Social Media this weekend, she announced that Joshua died unexpectedly on Easter Sunday. Alongside a series of personal photos of him, she wrote: ‘It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday. ‘No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fibre in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great.’ She reflected: ‘Josh’s childhood was filled with deep intellect, humour, pranks, athletics,
SNOW boarding, body boarding mountain hikes, reading,
Friends and his love for
music. ‘Even during adult hardship, Josh continued to maintain his sense of humour, continued to be optimistic, continued to be kind to others, defended those that were unable to defend themselves and continued to love his family so so much! ‘He received the most joy, pride and purpose through his daughter Kennady and watching her grow and thrive over the years.’ Lauri then thanked ‘all the people who have tried to help Josh along the way’, hailing them as ‘angels on Earth’. Addressing her son’s struggles with substance abuse disorder, she admitted ‘not everyone understands’ what he was dealing with, but expressed how ‘grateful’ she is for ‘the impact’ his supporters had on his life. ‘I also thank those who have supported me through this journey and offered kind words of encouragement by sharing their stories of living with substance abuse disorder and the many parents that have shared their stories over the years with me about the children they have sadly lost due to this illness.’ Speaking to her late son directly, she concluded: ‘Josh I love you so much and I will miss you terribly! I will forever be your “Mama Bear & Mama Dukes” and every time the clock turns to 11:11, I will expect your call to tell me to make a wish! ‘What will I wish for now? My heart is with you and I pray you have found the peace that you so deserve. Heaven has gained the coolest angel and you have gained your freedom at last sweet boy.’ Lauri signed off: ‘Love always and forever, Mom ❤️❤️🤍🤍 Joshua-Michael Phillip Waring 12/20/88-3/31/24’. In the comments, the TV favourite – who boasts 111,000
Instagram followers – was inundated with messages of support.
American TV presenter Andy Cohen wrote: ‘Lauri I am so sorry. This is heartbreaking. You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Josh’s story you would up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it. May Josh’s memory be a blessing to you always. Sending your family all my love. ❤’
Actress Gretchen Rossi wrote: ‘Oh Laurie, my heart breaks for you so much. I know how much you fought for him and always wanted nothing but the best for him. 🙏🏻 May the Lord surround you with his angels and give you strength through this incredibly hard loss. I love you friend ❤️’ ‘My heart breaks for you, I know how hard you worked to be his advocate. Big hug and prayers for your family at this sad time’, added Jeana Keough. Joshua-Michael leaves behind his 11-year-old daughter, Kennady. Before his tragic death last week, Josh’s struggles with substance abuse were well-known. The son of Lauri – who appeared in the first eight seasons of RHOC – also did a stint in Orange County Jail over an alleged 2016
shooting, during which he was assaulted by another inmate. The attack was caught on CCTV. Following his release, in 2022 he was jailed again for two years after violating his release terms, pleading guilty to various misdemeanours including possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell. Sadly, Josh continued to struggle and just two months ago, he was arrested for a third time after an alleged assault at a medical centre. Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help. Adfam has local groups for families affected by drugs and alcohol and DrugFam offers phone and email support to people affected by other people's drug or alcohol misuse. MORE : ‘Masterpiece’
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