Anthony Bourdain’s former assistant has revealed the cryptic text the celebrity chef sent her the day before he tragically died by suicide in 2018.
Laurie Woolever writes in her memoir, “Care and Feeding,” that she told her then-boss, “I hope you’re doing OK,” to which he replied, “I’ll live, and we’ll survive,” per an excerpt obtained by People.
She reportedly believed the “we” referred to Bourdain and his then-girlfriend, Asia Argento.
The assistant, who worked for the chef from 2009 until his death, said she checked in on him because photos of Argento kissing another man were about to be published online.
The National Enquirer had reached out for comment and, per her book, Bourdain instructed her to “ignore it, and ignore any similar queries from other pubs.”
However, the former “Parts Unknown” host did express some interest in the story, allegedly adding, “But let me know when the Enquirer piece drops.”
Woolever said, for the most part, her routine went on as normal, with Bourdain asking her to schedule a lunch, haircut, doctor appointment and a private jiu-jitsu session for his return to New York the next week.
However, the day after receiving the “we’ll survive” text, the assistant said the chef’s manager, Kim Witherspoon, called her to reveal, “Tony has taken his life.”
Bourdain was found dead in his hotel room in France. He was 61.
After his passing, chef Daniel Boulud said that he believed his longtime friend died of a “broken” heart.
Argento, now 49, said in a statement shortly after Bourdain’s death, “Anthony gave all of himself in everything he did. His brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many, and his generosity knew no bounds. He was my love, my rock, my protector.”
“I am beyond devastated,” she added via X at the time. “My thoughts are with his family. I would ask that you respect their privacy and mine.”
Three months later, Argento, who dated Bourdain from 2016 to 2018, defended herself after people said she was responsible for the beloved TV host’s death.
“People say I murdered him. They say I killed him. I understand that the world needs to find a reason. I would like to find a reason too,” the Italian actress told DailyMail TV in September 2018.
“People need to think that he killed himself for something like this. He cheated on me too. It wasn’t a problem for us.”
Aside from dealing with relationship issues, journalist Charles Leerhsen revealed in the unauthorized biography “Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain” that Bourdain struggled with fame.
The chef allegedly told his ex-wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, in his final days, “I hate my fans, too. I hate being famous. I hate my job. I am lonely and living in constant uncertainty.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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