How did William Friend die? 'One Tree Hill' star Bevin Prince's husband of 6 years dead at 33
‘One Tree Hill' actress Bevin Prince is mourning the unexpected death of her husabnd William Friend. The 33-year-old tragically died after being struck by lightning near his home in Wilmington, North Carolina on July 3.
According to Page Six, Bisnow CEO William, was on a boat near Masonboro Island when he was struck by lightning. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office responded with their Marine Unit, along with Wilmington Police Department’s Marine Unit, after civilians flagged them down during a routine patrol, where they found William lying down. Deputies performed CPR on William as they were taking him to Bradley Creek Marina to meet EMS. EMS moved him to the ambulance, where they attempted to resuscitate him for 20 minutes. However, he was then pronounced dead. Prince is yet to release any statement on her husband's death.
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Bisnow, a commercial real estate media organization, confirmed Bevin's husband's death in an Instagram story. They wrote on their site, "He guided Bisnow through the pandemic, which severely disrupted the live events side of the business, and helped inspire the company’s entrepreneurial spirit that allowed it to thrive at its greatest moment of uncertainty." “What made Will special was his innate ability to inspire and motivate people — to raise people higher than they thought possible,” Bisnow Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Gregg Mayer said in a statement. “That is the culture he fostered at Bisnow and, ultimately, that will be his lasting legacy.” Bisnow was largely an events business, so when the pandemic hit, he focussed on the company's editorial operations.
On the other hand, his friend Odette Annable posted a touching tribute to him which read, “The unimaginable had happened and we have to say goodbye to another friend, @britwilliam, my best friend @bevinaprince’s beloved husband. Will, it feels surreal writing this. 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.”
Bevin-William's love story
Bevin had been married to Will for six years as the duo got hitched in 2016. The actress narrated how they had already been engaged during their trip to London while visiting Will’s parents. She revealed how Will got on one knee with a Haribo candy ring and proposed to her. She said, "In true Will fashion he immediately called my father, got his permission, and then got on one knee, with a Haribo candy ring, and asked me to be his wife."
The two moved to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, when the pandemic hit to be closer to her family. The two launched a local fitness business together in their new town, although Friend was still involved in Bisnow events.
Who was William Friend?
William, who was born in Britain, started his career as an intern at the chief operating officer’s apartment before taking on roles in recruiting, events and sales. His work ethic propelled him quickly to the top of the organization, first being named COO in 2013 before taking over as CEO at Bisnow in 2015, when he was 27. He was known to be of the youngest leaders in commercial real estate media. The native Londoner moved to the US at 15, against the wishes of his parents. “I just fell in love with America — I could feel the American Dream,” Friend had told real estate investor Chris Powers in a podcast in 2019. It was at St. Albans School in Washington, DC that he his business acumen shone through after he launched a nonalcoholic party and events company after seeing his classmates' binge drinking and drunk driving after high school dances.
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“With his British accent, charismatic style and flair for life, he cut a different figure from others his age, which made him so memorable,” Bisnow Media founder Mark Bisnow said in a statement.
A statement on Bisnow media reads, "Friend’s thirst for new experiences led him to pursue a life of adventure outside the office. He loved flying planes and secured his pilot’s license. He was passionate about bikes and motorcycles, especially his Yamaha YZF-R6, and was prone to go on scuba diving trips in Mauritius with his brothers, John and Tom. He competed in two Ironman races, one half-Ironman and ran a marathon."