Gypsy Rose Blanchard is mourning a tragic loss in her family.

Blanchard's partner Ken Urker was found dead at his home in Raceland, Louisiana, on Thursday (October 1), his 34th birthday. According TMZ, which was first to report the news, Blanchard reportedly sent her partner a "happy birthday" text but did not receive a response. Her brother Dylan and his wife later found Urker at his residence.

Deputies with the Lafourche Sheriff's Office responded to the residence around 6:15 p.m. and found Urker deceased upon arrival. An investigation remains ongoing.

Blanchard broke her silence on the loss while speaking with People, telling the outlet that she believes her partner overdosed but doesn't know "if it was intentional or not," adding "he was not in a good state of mind lately."

"I'm in disbelief. I can't think," she said. "I've screamed until my throat burns."

Blanchard also paid tribute to her "soulmate," remembering him as a devoted father to their 1-year-old daughter Aurora Raina Urker and declaring that the love she has for him will continue on long after he has passed.

"Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved. He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase," she said.

She also called out the "relentless cyberbullying" Urker faced on social media and the "unimaginable level of public scrutiny" that she said had a deep impact on her partner.

"The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure," she said. "I believe the tremendous weight of that scrutiny and harassment had a profound impact on him, and I hope his passing serves as a reminder that there is a real person behind every screen, every headline, and every comment."

Blanchard added that she will do what she can to honor his memory while raising their daughter.

"Above all, Ken loved our daughter, Aurora. She is a beautiful reflection of his enduring spirit, and through her, a part of him will always remain with us," she said. "I will make sure she grows up knowing how deeply her father loved her and who he was beyond what strangers on the internet chose to say about him."

Blanchard said her partner will be "deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten" and asks that her family's privacy will be respected during this difficult time.

"There are no words that can express the depth of this loss," she said. "I ask for privacy and compassion for our daughter, our families, and everyone grieving Ken during this incredibly painful time."

Blanchard and Urker first connected while she was in prison serving time for her role in the death of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, and were engaged before they called it off while she was still behind bars. She went on to marry now ex-husband Ryan Anderson before they split four months after she was released from prison in December 2023. Blanchard and Urker reunited in April 2024 and welcomed their daughter in December of that year.

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