Lady Gaga has apologized online for what she called was jumping to an unjust conclusion following the death of Rick "Zombie Boy" Genest, the Canadian model famous for his head-to-toe corpse-like tattoos, who starred in her 2011 video "Born This Way".
Out of respect for Rick's family, Rick & his legacy I apologize if I spoke too soon as there was no witnesses or evidence to support any conclusion for the cause of his death. I in no way meant to draw an unjust conclusion My deepest condolences to his entire family and friends. pic.twitter.com/CJ9AdOJ22j
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) 4 августа 2018 г.
The art we made was sacred to me and I was emotional, he was an incredible artist and his art and heart will live on. Rest In Peace 🙏 You beautiful soul. pic.twitter.com/0gXTJ6cHYB
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) 4 августа 2018 г.
In her August 3 post, now deleted, she alleged that Genest took his life, calling his death "beyond devastating." She also called on her followers to put a spotlight on the issue of mental health. "If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other," she wrote.
READ MORE: 'Rest in Peace, Zombie Boy': Public Pays Tributes to Star of Lady Gaga's Video
Lady Gaga's online apology provoked a handful of emotional comments, with many fans claiming that her words were "totally understandable."
You are a class act and we know you didn’t mean to draw any conclusion but were just reacting to the news of the sudden death of a close friend. He’ll be missed, he was such an inspiring human being. Love you.
— Frankie Fermi 🌟 (@frankiefermi) 4 августа 2018 г.
It’s ok, you lost a dear friend. A comment like that… totally understandable (and it was believed to be a fact at the time)
— Anthony | Lady Gaga News (@antpats2) 4 августа 2018 г.
We love you so much ❤️ We’re all thinking of Rick pic.twitter.com/ykrNoTlixK
Your amount of respect for literally everyone is beyond admirable. Rest in peace rick, you'll be greatly missed.
— mallory (@artpopmallory) 4 августа 2018 г.
Everyone knows you had the best of intentions, I'm sure his family will understand. Your heart is the purest in the world. #RIPRickGenest
— well⭐ (@killthefame) 5 августа 2018 г.
You did nothing wrong. You just wanted to help.
— Arturo (@Arturo52311) 4 августа 2018 г.
It's okay, you lost your friend, you don't have to say sorry my love and I'm still sorry for your lost, he was a incredible artist, we monsters are never forget him!
— neto ⭐️ (@excitingaga) 4 августа 2018 г.
On Friday, the 32-year-old Genest fell to his death from a third-floor apartment in Montreal in what police classified as a suicide attempt. His manager Karim Leduc told People magazine that Genest could have fallen off accidentally after he leaned too far back on the balcony while smoking a cigarette. "He's not someone who, we feel, would commit suicide; he's not someone who would do something like that because he's very thoughtful of others," Leduc added.
