Australian model Annalise Braakensiek, 46, was found dead in her inner-city Sydney apartment on Jan. 6, after police were alerted by close friends and family who became concerned when she failed to answer their calls and text messages.
Police said her death was not suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
In a social media post to her 40,000 followers on Dec. 15, the former star of SBS sitcom Pizza shared that “Everything seems to feel twisted and upside down at the moment.”
Braakensiek had parted ways with her stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg in April 2018 after 16 years. A deleted Instagram post hinted at hurt: “I don’t know if a broken heart mends,” she wrote, “or learns to live in pieces.”
WHO journalist Jacqui Lang wrote about her dear friend, confessing:
“On the surface, it all looked picture perfect. But of course, nobody’s life ever really is.”
“Her marriage to Danny ended last year. She moved out of her beloved Bondi. Change wasn’t always easy.”
The jewellery creator and lingerie designer, who also appeared on Home and Away and Heartbreak High, had long been open about her battle with mental illness, a topic she said “has so so many misconceptions, criticism, misunderstandings and false judgments still.”
In 2017, the vegan cook was an ambassador for RUOK? Day and spoke about the scrutiny she felt in admitting her struggle with depression.
“It was the … negative reaction people had to me being depressed and falling under the dark cloud,” Braakensiek told The Daily Edition.
“In many ways, my life is wonderful, for which I’m extremely grateful and there’s no doubting that, but when you’re suffering these kinds of things, for people to say, ‘How dare you – you’re a model, you’re a millionaire, you’re around the world…’ That’s got nothing to do with this.”
Meanwhile, news.com.au and Seven commentator Melissa Hoyer has paid tribute: “Vivacious, compassionate, warm and clever, Annalise was a woman who always had time to talk and to listen. To anyone. She always reminded me of some extraordinary Viking goddess – so strong and seemingly ageless.”
Her friend, Craig Bennett, spoke about his friend – the RUOK ambassador.
“Everybody saw her as this absolutely gorgeous soul, still modelling bikinis until recently,” Bennett told the Daily Telegraph.
“When you have that dynamic when somebody is very frail and vulnerable deep down inside and then to have something as important to her as a marriage collapse it really knocked her for a spin.”
“It kind of punched the wind out of her sails and plunged her into a dark place, all of which is evidenced in her social media threads.”
Need help? Call Lifeline on 131 114, visit www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/get-help-home, or call beyondblue on 1300 224 636.
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