Kyle Richards The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - RHOBH

RHOBH Recap: Kyle Richards Breaks Down Remembering Late ‘Best Friend’ Lorene Shea

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Kyle Richards crying during RHOBH reunion

On this week’s RHOBH, Kyle Richards seeks guidance from her life coach about her struggles with grief following the death of her best friend.

Kyle Richards is still reeling from the loss of her “very, very, very best friend,” Lorene Shea, who died by suicide in May 2022.

“Lorene was my other half. We always said we were separated at birth, only she was almost 6-feet tall and blonde,” Kyle revealed in her confessional on the Wednesday, December 13, episode of RHOBH. “I met Lorene in the second grade. We were seven years old, and we had been best friends ever since.”

The RHOBH OG explained that Lorene was “the most important person in my life outside of my family.” She noted that her best friend of 40-plus years knew more about her than “anybody,” including her now-estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky.

RHOBH’s Kyle Richards and best friend Lorene Shea as children.

“Your best friend for all those years knows everything,” Kyle added.

“I can’t even say the word. She took her life on May 1st,” the RHOBH OG told her life coach during an emotional scene during Wednesday’s episode. “I don’t know what happened because she was so together. I mean, literally, in my will, she was in charge of my children, my money, my everything. She was so together, and then all of a sudden — I don’t know what happened. I don’t have answers. It’s so frustrating to me.”

Kyle later admitted that she “never imagined something like this could happen.” The 54-year-old also noted that since Lorene’s death, she’s doing “all the things” to feel safe.

Kyle Richards remembers her late friend during this week’s episode of RHOBH.

“Just trying to surround myself around people that I love and love me, support me and only want the best for me and I only want the best for them. Taking care of my body,” she said. “I’m just trying to do all the things that are going to make me feel stronger. It’s been working.”

When Lorene passed in May 2022, Kyle shared a heartfelt tribute to her best friend on Instagram.

The RHOBH wrote:

“I never imagined I would be posting something like this …this is my best friend Lorene … my best friend since I was 7 years old—my other half. We did everything together… from losing our baby teeth to having babies & everything in between & everything that followed. She was kind, thoughtful, funny, smart, beautiful, sentimental… The most important thing in the world to her was being a good Mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt & friend (dog Mom too). We spoke every day & shared everything that was happening in our lives. We would laugh until we cried, call each other out & be there for each other no matter what was going on in our lives. Not that long ago, she started to suffer from debilitating depression. She had always been a happy person. How did this happen? All who loved her rallied around her and did everything that could be done to get her help. But the system is broken. The system made it impossible to get her the help she needed. This past Sunday, we lost Lorene. The system failed her! The system failed her loved ones, who are now left in unbearable pain. I will do whatever it takes to try & help change the laws that are in place that prevent people from getting the help they need. I love you Lorene ? ? Rest In Peace Please keep her & her loved ones in your thoughts & prayers #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #mentalillness #mentalhealthadvocate #depression #mentalhealthawarenessmont“

Kyle Richards and her late best friend Lorene Shea pose for photo while traveling in Europe.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo. 

Thoughts on this all? Sound off in the comments!

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37 comments

Steve December 15, 2023 - 12:13 am
An amazingly cynical way of using a friends tragic end to bring attention to herself. Kyle has done some very low things in the past to get camera time, but this is perhaps the lowest.
MustangHeart December 14, 2023 - 10:29 pm
I've seen some of the lowest behavior by the women on this and other so called reality shows. They have a thirst for being relevant they will never quench and yet they will still try anything, Case in point, Kyle's discussion with your Life Coach, which is hysterical in itself because your life is in a sorry pathetic mess and yet you will bring the suicide of your so called best friend on the show to try and deflect that your just sick of everything in your life and it's imploding because you can't find the courage to do what is necessary to find peace. There's nothing fame and money can buy that will fix a broken heart and a soul in crisis. To live an authentic life stop with the fake and phony friendships who you already know that they're using you for something only meant to get what they want. The peace you seek will never be found in the way you live for fame and a long as your willing to sell your soul to feel something is destructive and will only see you spiral downward into the depths of overwhelming despair until you finally look for a way out for yourself. The first and most important thing you must start to do is love yourself more than the money and attention you are so desperately seeking. If you truly want to experience real happiness then find the strength to walk away and build a life you are the number one person you need to love and make happy,.
675309 December 14, 2023 - 4:14 pm
It was at least 10 months after it happened when this was filmed and now it is 19 months after it happened for Kyle bring up so much on TV which seems to be for attention BASED ON her track record, IMO. I don't think Kyle is being considerate of this person's family who no doubt in my mind doesn't appreciate her putting it out there to a million viewers or whatever that their family member committed suicide 19 months ago nor being reminded. IMO. Did she talk to any of them before bringing it up on TV almost a year later to talk about how she was affected? So what has Kyle done to "do whatever it takes to try & help change the laws that are in place that prevent people from getting the help they need." in the past 19 months since she wrote that. That would have been great if she had done something but.....
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 4:49 pm
I had to check; she did indeed die May of 2022, so either Kyle was mourning for a VERY long time, or she "revisited" the tragedy for a story line. Hmm ...
675309 December 14, 2023 - 5:00 pm
Sure she did and if she didn't talk to family members before she filmed to let them know that she was about to bring up the fact their family member died by suicide on national television (which happens to be a trashy reality show) and would be airing several months later to talk about how it was affecting her then that is really horrible, IMO, if they or some of them didn't concur. So was that video she made with Morgan supposed to be about helping get more support for suicidal people and their families so they can get help (or be forced to) before they go through with it? Unless the family concurred, I think this is one of Kyle's lowest deeds. I'm very sympathetic to friends in this situation. I've seen it. I just don't know of any who would make a big deal of it as far as mourning almost a year later publicly, let alone national television. However, I've only read about this and haven't seen what aired.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 8:37 pm
That's a lot, so again, I have to do a "hmmm". Apparently Kyle is either an excellent multi-tasker or a better actress than we thought. This is a tough one.
675309 December 15, 2023 - 8:40 am
No denying friends mourn and with suicide there is the added blame and/or guilt that can be worse than with natural causes or an accident. It is natural to break down months later when talking about it but why did she choose to do so. It is easy to think the worst based on who she has shown herself to be. I thought she was great when I started watching after it started. It is funny how differently I see her after actually watching those old episodes recently plus her behavior the past 3-5 years.
Zap It December 15, 2023 - 11:33 am
Yes, it was 2022. So when are these shows filmed?? Are the shows this old??
Snarky Enigma December 15, 2023 - 2:35 pm
They generally start filming a few months after the current season ends, and season 12 ended late October of 2022. So they started shooting the current season in January of this year, and wrapped sometime in May .... but then the alleged Umansky breakup hit the news, so they called everyone back to resume filming because they wanted to include it. Personally, I suspect they were looking at a very dull season, which is WHY they then invented the Umansky story line. This would also explain why the cast appears so seemingly callous towards Kyle (because they all know it's BS).
Ginger Snap December 16, 2023 - 1:23 pm
Kyle was trying to make a Sandoval moment. Thing is, she’s not a popular housewife so she’s not believable or has sympathy. IMO Bravo keeps her on the show because they get a cut of The Agency profits.
Snarky Enigma December 16, 2023 - 3:41 pm
Whoa, I have to stop you right there ... Kyle is not a popular HW? Also, I'm not sure that NBC/Bravo/Universal is profiting from The Agency ... in fact, I would bet they are not. Mauricio reportedly doesn't even get paid for being on the show.
675309 December 16, 2023 - 5:17 pm
Not liked, maybe, but then are any actually liked? I realize people "like" the ones who entertain them and she does manipulate situations to create chaos and some people like that but not everyone.
Zap It December 17, 2023 - 5:25 pm
Many don't like Kyle...hence, she is not a popular HW
Snarky Enigma December 18, 2023 - 2:34 pm
Ah, so we're going to get into semantics are we. pop·u·lar /?päpy?l?r/ adjective adjective: popular 1.liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a particular person or group. Yes, Kyle is disliked by many on the gossip blogs, but has 4.2M followers on IG alone, is the OG of her franchise, and is trailing Kandi as the longest running HW in herstory, and will mostly likely dethrown (if rumors about ATL's reboot are true). Personally, I can take or leave her; mainly because it's hard for me to judge a person based on their television persona, especially reality TV people.
675309 December 16, 2023 - 5:15 pm
I don't think it would apply to a husband's business since he isn't paid (only on NJ). Plus he is on another network with a reality show so seems like he shouldn't even be on camera for HWs....On the other hand, was it started while she was on the show? Hum, if her name is on anything to do with it then that would be a good question if it started after she was on the show.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 2:23 pm
"All who loved her rallied around her and did everything that could be done to get her help. But the system is broken. The system made it impossible to get her the help she needed.". Poor Kyle; she's obviously in the "rage" stage of mourning.
Sharona December 14, 2023 - 2:27 pm
Probably the only way the poor woman could get away from Kyle.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 2:36 pm
Ouch!~
Ro December 14, 2023 - 3:55 pm
That can't have felt good to type.
Ginger Snap December 16, 2023 - 1:26 pm
It must of been a burden considering how needy Kyle is.
Italia December 14, 2023 - 5:08 pm
"The systems broken"? Did she have health insurance? If not, couldn't Kyle help her with that. She is loaded. AN Kyle is still "mourning: 9 months later for the cameras? Mmmmmm. I would also suggest that if your "best friend" has all these issues, why did you put her in charge of your "kids, finances, Everything" in your will? Kyle is using this as a storyline which isn't nice for this ladies family.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 8:40 pm
I just don't want to believe that Kyle is capable of this. https://media4.giphy.com/media/dAuumiq85i5evf5UVY/giphy-downsized-small.mp4
Italia December 14, 2023 - 10:57 pm
I think she is. She is filming with either her girlfriend or some situation that she enjoys being talked about as her girlfriend. What about her kids? Very selfish. Why be so disrespectful to your children? There’s something wrong with Kyle,
Zap It December 15, 2023 - 11:49 am
Good point.
Zap It December 14, 2023 - 2:44 pm
Wish Kyle could have been supportive of LVP when her brother died by suicide. I might have some sympathy for her. RIP Lorene.
Ro December 14, 2023 - 3:53 pm
Let us all know if someone you love kills themselves. That way, we can keep score and not have compassion for you because you don't have compassion for Kyle because you think she didn't have compassion for someone you'll never know. See how silly that sounds? Compassion is a free gift that benefits the giver as much as the recipient.
SU December 14, 2023 - 10:02 pm
Well said Ro!
Ro December 15, 2023 - 9:58 am
Thanks SU.
Zap It December 15, 2023 - 11:30 am
In addition to the above, Kyle never had any compassion for her sister who suffers from mental health issues. Rather, she outed Kim on Reality TV and told the world her secrets and addictions for a story line. Kyle now wants sympathy? Nope. Done.
Ro December 14, 2023 - 11:51 am
I'm sorry for Kyle's loss. How awful for everyone who knew her. Mental health is no joke.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 2:04 pm
It's so true, and to think that there like allegedly 80 million people in the US alone who are mentally ill.
Ro December 14, 2023 - 3:49 pm
It really is tough. I wish mental healthcare was de-stigmatized so people could more openly communicate with one another. I just had a conversation with my neighbor today and she's just going through a really tough time. It's not easy, but it was good to at least connect and remeber we're all in this together.
Snarky Enigma December 14, 2023 - 4:40 pm
You make a great point. I'm not anti-mental healthcare, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have someone to talk to who REALLY gets it. Despite what she's saying, I suspect Kyle is having serious guilt issues, as are all of Lorene's loved ones. They say suicide is often the ultimate act of anger and revenge.
Ro December 15, 2023 - 9:59 am
I agree with you completely. And yeah, doesn't suicide seem like something someone does AT someone else?
Snarky Enigma December 15, 2023 - 2:45 pm
Absolutely ... especially when ghoulish things like hangings and/or horrific gunshot wounds are often the methods of choice. Some psychoanalysts say that being angry at the deceased is actually a healthy thing and an effective tool in battling the guilt that they are undoubtedly suffering.
Ro December 15, 2023 - 2:59 pm
That makes sense. And I can see the anger thing to a point, but I don't generally think it's genuine or healthy to substitute anger for sadness or more vulnerable feelings. It sucks to feel survivor's guilt, but covering that up with rage, well, just look at what a lot of veterans or officers go through when they have ptsd and survivor's guilt and end up with all that rage and no health outlet. Not good.
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