Darius Rucker Breaks Silence on Ex Kate Quigley’s Overdose

Darius Rucker’s ex-girlfriend Kate Quigley is “doing great” after her near-fatal overdose earlier this month, the former Hootie & The Blowfish frontman said Friday. Quigley was rushed to the hospital on Sept. 4 after she and other partygoers suffered accidental overdoses when they allegedly used cocaine laced with fentanyl. The comedian quickly responded to Rucker’s comments, claiming he has not called her once since the accident.

“You know, she’s doing great. She’s coming out of that,” Rucker told PEOPLE before he performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas Friday. “I’m glad that she’s doing that.” He later added that his “heart goes out to all the other victims, but Quigley is doing okay.” Quigley, 39, and Rucker, 55, dated in 2020.

After Rucker made his comments to PEOPLE, Quigley was not happy about him discussing her health since he has not reached out to her. “Hi Darius, Could u plz refrain from making public comments about my health or well-being since u haven’t called once to see how I’m doing & have no clue? Thanks Boo Boo,” Quigley tweeted. One person later suggested that Rucker might have just been making a “blanket statement” after seeing Quigley tweet. “I’m a big fan of, ‘rather not discuss that’ when I don’t know the answer,” she responded.

Quigley was also critical of media outlets that mentioned her brief time dating Rucker. When TMZ first reported on the overdose, the site noted that Quigley dated the singer and included a comment from his representative that they hadn’t been dating “for awhile.” In a tweet on Sept. 11, Quigley admitted that it “stung” to see that comment out so quickly. “That Stung. Won’t lie. When I saw the TMZ report I thought, great. He’s probably writing a song about me called, ‘Let Her Die,’” she tweeted.

During the early morning hours of Saturday, Sept. 4, Quigley attended a Venice, California party where cocaine was allegedly laced with fentanyl. While Quigley survived her near-fatal overdose, comedians Fuquan “Fu” Johnson and Enric Colangeli died. Another person, friend Natalie Williamson, also died. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times there was “no indication of foul play” in the incident.

After Quigley was released from the hospital, she issued a long statement on Twitter, thanking her fans for their support and the medical team that saved her life. She also paid tribute to her friends. “I am still shocked & devastated by the loss of my friends Fu, Rico, and Natalie,” she wrote on Sept. 11. “Words cannot describe the pain I am feeling & I will be changed forever by their passings.” She went on to write that they each “made an indelible mark on my life and the lives of their loved ones. I will miss them. My heart goes out to their friends and family, and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts.”