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The final text messages sent by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain to his assistant, Laurie Woolever, have been revealed, shedding light on his last days before he died by suicide in June 2018. Woolever, who worked with Bourdain for nearly a decade, shares these details in her upcoming memoir, Care and Feeding, set to release on March 11.
According to Woolever, Bourdain's last message to her was, "I'll live, and we'll survive," which she believed referred to him and his then-girlfriend, Asia Argento. The day after receiving this message, Woolever learned of Bourdain's death from his manager, Kim Witherspoon. Bourdain was found dead in his hotel room in France at the age of 61.
In the days leading up to his death, Bourdain was reportedly dealing with personal struggles, including paparazzi photos of Argento with another man, which were about to be published. Bourdain instructed Woolever to ignore media inquiries about the photos but expressed interest in knowing when the story would be published.
Woolever describes Bourdain's feelings for Argento as "obsessive love" and recalls how he wanted to send her a large box of hand-selected vinyl records. In an interview with Newsweek, Woolever mentioned that Bourdain's disappointment over a mishap with Italian customs hinted at his emotional state.
Bourdain, known for his work as a chef, author, and TV host, was filming an episode of his CNN show Parts Unknown in France at the time of his death.
Anyone struggling with similar issues is encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.