Lisa Vanderpump’s brother Mark Vanderpump was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his home in England. Vanderpump was 59 years old.
Vanderpump died on April 30 at his home in Gloucestershire, but his death was not reported until Saturday by The Daily Mail. The outlet reports that it is not known if the overdose was accidental or deliberate.
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The Daily Mail also reports that Lisa Vanderpump is heading to the U.K. for her brother’s funeral. The Vanderpump Rules star has been noticeably silent on social media since her brother died. She is reportedly focusing on the welfare of Vanderpump’s two sons.
Lisa told The Daily Mail the death of her only sibling is a “shock to us all.” She said she spoke with Vanderpump the day before his death.
“This has come as a shock to us all. My brother and I had connected the day before this tragedy and I was completely unprepared for this,” Lisa continued. “He was my only sibling and I am shocked and saddened by his passing. I am trying to be supportive to his two young sons that he has left behind, and help them get through this tragedy. We appreciate your consideration in this private and extremely difficult family time.”
Lisa and her brother, who worked as a DJ in the U.K., were close. He often visited Lisa in Los Angeles and they vacationed together. Vanderpump was a frequent visitor to Lisa’s restaurants Sur, PUMP and Villa Blanca.
However, The Daily Mail reports that his life recently took a downturn after his 22-year marriage ended.
“After 22 years of marriage, Mark was living a very colourful life until it all sadly went wrong,” a family member who wished to remain anonymous told The Daily Mail.
In January, Radar Online reported that Vanderpump and Lisa were seen arguing at The Waverly Inn in New York City.
“At one point, Lisa’s brother slammed his hands on the table and screamed ‘Enough is enough,’” an insider told Radar. “When he got up to leave, her daughter started screaming at him to ‘Get out of her restaurant!’ It was a real mess and no one could believe what they just had witnessed. The entire place was just in shock!”
Lisa was born in London and moved to the U.S. after marrying Ken Todd. She became a reality TV star when she joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2010. Since 2013, she has starred in her own spin-off, Vanderpump Rules.