bachelorettedead.jpg

Courtesy: ABC



Bachelorette contestant Julien Hug, whose body was found on the side of a Southern California highway yesterday, had taken his own life, according to a just-released statement from his family.

Denise and Bertrand Hug blamed "acute depression" for their son taking his own life, as indicated in a suicide letter Julien left for them.

In a statement, they said:

    "We feel it is necessary at this time to address the media as we are devastated by some of the comments that are coming out. No one close to the family has spoken of yet.

    Our son meant the world to us and this came as a complete shock. We are beyond devastated and completely distraught. In his letter to us he stated that he was suffering from acute depression and he felt it was his only way out. While publicly outgoing, he was an extremely private person who internalized everything. What we saw was his thirst for life with fast cars, motorcycles and his love of skydiving.

    What we see now is the immense amount of love that everyone has for him. Anyone close to Julien is receiving an extreme outpouring of concern via text, email and messages. This is an honored tribute to what an amazing person he was and we thank everyone for their love, prayers and continued support.

    To us, Julien was as beautiful inside as he was outside and we wish to have him remembered in this way, a way he deserves and would appreciate, not by false comments from people outside the family. No one he has touched will ever forget him, most of all us."


The coroner has yet to release a cause of death, but there seems to be no doubt in his family's eyes that Julien's death was planned.

A funeral service for the 35-year-old is scheduled for next Friday, November 12th at the Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe. The service will be open to the public.