Bevin Prince Breaks Silence After Husband William Friend’s Death: ‘Some Days It Doesn’t Feel OK’

03.12.2022 - 20:25 / usmagazine.com

Mourning a terrible loss. Bevin Prince is speaking out after the death of her husband, William Friend, following a fatal lightning strike. 

“It’s an absolute living nightmare,” Prince, 39, said on the “1 on 1 With Jon Evans” podcast on Friday, December 2, addressing the incident for the first time. “It was like any other day that we’d done a million times. The storm was far away, we’re on the boat, everything’s fine. And then in an instant, everything has changed. There’s no normal, and there’s no playbook for it.”

She continued: “Instantly the people that were on the boat next to us, a nurse, an ex-military and a bounty hunter, responded so fast. Then, the police boat happened to be driving by right at that moment, just happened to be there. So, they were able to move him to the police boat. In my mind, there was absolutely nothing that could have been done. And I have to accept that this is larger than me and my understanding at this time.”

The One Tree Hill alum’s husband of six years died at the age of 33 on Sunday, July 3, after being struck by lightning near his home in Wilmington, North Carolina. According to WECT News, the CEO was on a boat near Masonboro Island when the accident occurred. EMTs attempted to resuscitate Friend for 20 minutes before he was pronounced dead from his injuries.

“You know, it’s still so day to day,” Prince said on Friday about grieving her spouse. “Some days, it doesn’t feel OK, and I think the thing I remind myself is, I have two options. I can stay here on this planet, or I cannot, and that’s not an option for me. So, I really only have one option. I knew when Will passed, I said, ‘OK, I was fortunate enough to experience the kind of love and support and partnership that I know so many