NEWSWho Is William Friend? 'OTH' Star Bevin Prince's Husband Died At 33
Jul. 7 2022, Published 3:40 p.m. ET
William Friend, the husband of actress Bevin Prince, best known for her role as Bevin Mirskey on the long-running drama series One Tree Hill died on Sunday, July 3, after being struck by lightning. The incident took place near the couple’s home near Masonboro Island, North Carolina.
Friend, who was 33 years old when he passed away, had served as the CEO of digital media company Bisnow since 2015. Originally hailing from the United Kingdom, Friend studied at Texas’s Southern Methodist University before first joining Bisnow as an intern, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Though the former actress, who married Friend in 2016, had yet to make an independent statement surrounding her husband’s passing, her cycling company Recess By Bevin Prince took to Instagram on Wednesday, July 6, to share a heartfelt statement.
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"We greatly appreciate the outpouring of love and support we’ve received from our Recess community," read the post, featuring a sweet black-and-white photo of the couple. "Will’s knowledge, guidance, and support is the foundation that Recess is built on."
The caption also referenced a GoFundMe page raising money for Friend’s memorial fund, which will go to support Recess as well as nonprofit Special Operators Transition Foundation. As of mid-day on Thursday, July 7, the fundraiser had acquired more than $53,000 in donations.
Prince’s business isn’t the only party to share their fond memories of Friend. Actress Odette Annable also shared an emotional tribute to her late pal on Instagram.
"Will, it feels surreal writing this," the You Again star wrote alongside a series of photos depicting Friend. "Mostly because it feels like you were just getting started. The life and love that you gave to my best friend made it feel okay that we were thousands of miles apart."
Bisnow’s COO, Gregg Mayer, also spoke candidly about Friend’s legacy, heralding the executive’s talent for empowering others.
"What made Will special was his innate ability to inspire and motivate people — to raise people higher than they thought possible," Mayer said a statement posted to Bisnow’s website. "That is the culture he fostered at Bisnow and, ultimately, that will be his lasting legacy."
