Lisa Vanderpump’s tragic real-life story

Lisa Vanderpump’s life took an especially devastating turn when her older brother, Mark Vanderpump, reportedly committed suicide in April 2018. The reality star discussed the heartbreaking death the following year, telling Us Weekly that her sibling’s unexpected death was “very, very, very tough” and that she “[managed] to try to pull [herself] together with grief counseling and antidepressants.” She added, “I’ve never taken anything in my life, you know, I’ve never been to therapy in my life, but I think slowly I’m in a lot better place than I was.”

As for the circumstances surrounding Mark’s death, Vanderpump said the suicide was accidental. “I know my brother well enough to know my brother didn’t mean to do this,” Vanderpump shared (via People) “It was a cry for help that went horribly wrong. There’s a lot of people who say taking a life is selfish, [but] I’ve never felt that.”

Vanderpump depended on work to see her through the tragedy, explaining: “[Work] is the best distraction. It’s just that every time someone brings it up, I feel more emotional. I’ve managed to compartmentalize it and put it down to a horrible time in my life and moving on.”

We wish Vanderpump and her family nothing but the best going forward — losing a loved one is never easy.