William Friend, the husband of “One Tree Hill” star Bevin Prince, died Sunday after being struck by lightning. He was 33.
According to local news channel WECT6 News, authorities discovered Friend on a boat after he was struck by lightning during a storm.
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Marine Unit of the Wilmington Police Department, responded with their Marine Unit after eyewitnesses spotted them near Masonboro Island off the coast of Wilmington, NC, the outlet reports.
According to WECT6 News, the emergency team also performed CPS on the Bisnow CEO as they took him to the Bradley Creek Marina to meet the ambulance service, who attempted to resuscitate him for 20 minutes. He was pronounced dead on the spot.
After the tragic incident, Prince’s best friend Odette Annable paid tribute to Friend in an Instagram message on Wednesday.
“Will, it feels surreal writing this,” the 37-year-old actress began. “Especially because it feels like you’ve just started. The life and love you gave to my best friend made it feel good that we were thousands of miles apart.
Annable went on to talk about the “gift” he gave to anyone who “witnessed the passion that burned in his soul.” She described that passion as driving him to “help people, build” [his] company [and] find happiness.”
The “Unborn” star further described the British businessman as passionate and “perfect for” [Bevin] in every way.”
She added: “To be here with Bevin and to hear her share stories of you and your love breaks my heart for her as she lost the love of her life and the world has a very, very good one.”
In addition, Annable shared a Go Fund Me link, where people could donate money to two charities that Friend valued rather than flowers.
Prince, 39, first rose to fame when she starred in ‘One Tree Hill’ in 2004.
In May 2016, she and Friend said “I do” and moved to Wrightsville Beach to be closer to family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former actress is now a fitness trainer at Recess by Bevin Prince, which she launched with her husband in 2019.