Andy Spade on Kate Spade's Death: 'It Clearly Wasn't Her'

A day after the suicide of Kate Spade, Andy Spade has provided a statement to the New York Times that shares the depths of his sadness over the death of his wife of 24 years and clears up misconceptions and misreporting: He says they had lived separately for 10 months but were neither legally separated nor considering divorce. "We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how. ... We loved each other very much and simply needed a break." He says she did not abuse alcohol and was not struggling with business issues. But she was struggling with "personal demons." Read his statement in full here; select additional lines follow:

• "She was actively seeking help for depression and anxiety over the last 5 years, seeing a doctor on a regular basis and taking medication for both depression and anxiety."
• "We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy. There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her."
• "I have yet to see any note left behind and am appalled that a private message to my daughter has been so heartlessly shared with the media."
• "My main concern is Bea and protecting her privacy as she deals with the unimaginable grief of losing her mother. Kate loved Bea so very much."

(More Kate Spade stories.)