Tree Hill actress Bevin Prince has shared husband William Friend’s disturbing last words after he died aged 33 after being struck by lightning.
Five months after Friend was struck by lightning, the star has opened up about the heartbreaking moment in which he seemed to anticipate his own death and the memories she’s been holding on to ever since.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Prince, 39, described her love’s haunting last words, which made her believe “it really was his time.”
“Right before it hit him, he lit a cigar, looked at my dad and said, ‘If we get hit by lightning, Mike, I want to be here. And then it happened,’ she said.
Bevin Prince has broken her silence about her husband William Friend – who died aged 33 after being struck by lightning. Prince and Friend seen in 2020
Prince, 39, shared her late husband’s last words, which foreshadowed the horrific moment of his death that made her believe “it really was his time.”
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, she described her husband as “one of the funniest people” and gushed about the effect he had on others
Prince added that his death was “divine.”
She went on to describe her husband as “one of the funniest people” and gushed about the effect he had on others.
“I’m just so proud. I’m so proud that I got to live with him,” Prince said.
“He was by far one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. He illuminated every single room he entered. You never forgot when you met Will Friend.”
On July 3, 2022, Prince and her husband were spending time on their boat when a storm hit, which they were monitoring.
“We look up and we can see the storm in the distance,” Prince said, adding that “there are about 60 boats out there.”
“But we’ve been there so many times and there was no urgency for anyone to get off the water at that point. We have observed it.’
When the tide turned instantaneously, Prince shared that she had hopped on another boat with her father.
In a post by Prince, Friend is pictured having a beer and driving a boat in 2020. It is not clear if he was struck by lightning on the same ship
EMTs attempted to revive Friend, but he was later pronounced dead in the ambulance, the outlet reports; Bevin Prince was spotted in 2008
At the time of the incident, authorities told ABC News that Friend was struck by lightning and then transferred from his boat onto theirs while they performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
“And from what I’ve heard you know [they] spent a lot of time and effort resuscitating him,” Prince said.
After her husband’s death, Prince explained that she received an overwhelming amount of support, particularly from her “One Tree Hill” co-stars.
Her co-stars Hillarie Burton and Sophia Bush took to social media to pay tribute to her husband and offer their support through the difficult time.
After his death, Prince uses her late husband’s legacy to continue the outdoor cycling gym they founded together as Recess.
His death came just a week before his 34th birthday. Pictured: File photo of the area
Masonboro Island is a barrier island accessible only by boat from the mainland and is a popular boating, surfing, and camping destination. Because of its North Carolina geography, thunderstorms are a regular occurrence during the spring and summer
Known For: Prince played famous cheerleader Bevin Mirskey on the hit CW series One Tree Hill and played the role for eight years between 2004 and 2012
According to WECT News, Friend was with friends on a boat off Masonboro Island, near Wilmington, when he was attacked.
Rescue workers attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead in the ambulance, the outlet reports.
His death came just a week before his 34th birthday.
Prince, who played cheerleader Bevin Mirskey on One Tree Hill from 2004 to 2012, married Friend in 2016. They celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary on May 21.
It was the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and the Wilmington Police Department Marine Unit that responded to the incident after officers were stopped by civilians.
Deputies reached Friend and performed CPR on him while he was en route to Bradley Creek Marina to meet with emergency services.
After Friend was taken to an ambulance, emergency responders “attempted to revive him for 20 minutes” before pronouncing him dead.
The friend’s body was then transported to a local hospital, where EMS met with his family.
Pictured: Bevin Prince (left) can be seen in an Instagram post with her husband William Friend
According to WECT News, on July 3, 33-year-old William Friend was with friends on a boat near Masonboro Island when he was attacked; Prince seen in February
His death came just a week before his 34th birthday
Prince and Friend relocated from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina amid the COVID pandemic to be closer to their family.
Prince’s best friend Odette Annable paid tribute to the actress’ late husband in a post shared to Instagram on Wednesday.
“The unimaginable has happened and we have to say goodbye to another friend @britwilliam. My best friend @bevinaprince beloved husband.
“Will feels surreal writing that,” the You Again star began, accompanying a snap of “Friend.”
She continued, “Mainly because it feels like you’ve just started. The life and love you gave my best friend made it feel good that we were thousands of miles apart.
“As I sit in your beautiful home and gaze out to sea, I keep thinking about what a gift you gave Bevin.
“What a gift you gave to everyone who knew you, to witness the passion that burned in your soul.
“A passion for helping people build their businesses, finding happiness like I’ve never seen you do while living in North Carolina with Bevin.”
She described Friend as “perfect in every way” for Prince and that he always “supported her dreams” and “adored her with every bit of his soul.”
Bevin and Friend married in 2016. They celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary on May 21; Prince pictured in 2021
Cops are pictured at the scene after being alerted to the tragedy by onlookers
Odette said she was dating Prince at the time of writing the post and had “heard their stories told about you and your love breaks my heart for her because she lost the love of her life and she really really lost the world.” Well.’
She continued, “I know you will still be with her and your beautiful brothers and family, the Prince family, and we will all feel you spreading your light and beauty through all those who have happiness had to know you.
“At just 33 years old you made it and walked out radiant like no one else. May you rest in peace you charming, funny, beautiful Brit who loved the shit of America. I love you,” Odette wrote.
She ended the lengthy tribute by encouraging her “friends and family on social media” to donate to various causes that Friend “believed in with his heart.”
“One of those is the business @recessbybevinprince he built with his wife and my best friend @bevinaprince,” she said.
“Bevin and the women at her company have worked so hard to keep this dream going and all he could have wished for was for them to continue to be successful,” Odette wrote.
Prince’s best friend Odette Annable paid tribute to the actress’ late husband in a post shared to Instagram on Wednesday
Odette included a link to a GoFundMe page started by a member of the Prince family. The picture shows a screenshot of the website
Donations also go to the Special Operators Transition Foundation, founded by distinguished combat veteran Robert J. O’Neill and dedicated to supporting Special Operations heroes and their families
Odette included a link to a GoFundMe page started by a member of the Prince family.
“Thank you for all of your support during this time. Love you all,” the House star concluded.
Masonboro Island is a barrier island accessible only by boat from the mainland and is a popular boating, surfing, and camping destination.
Because of its North Carolina geography, thunderstorms are a regular occurrence during the spring and summer.
Safety experts said Friend’s tragic death was a reminder of the dangers of being out on the water or outdoors in a storm.