Gypsy Rose Blanchard shared the heartbreaking news that her partner, Ken Urker, passed away from an overdose, referring to him as her “forever soulmate.”
Urker was discovered unresponsive in his bed by a relative on what would have been his 34th birthday in Raceland, Louisiana.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is looking into Urker’s death, but Blanchard believes it was due to an overdose.
“I’m not sure if it was intentional,” she expressed. “He hadn’t been in a good state of mind lately.”
Authorities have yet to disclose the official cause of death.
Blanchard mentioned that a substance was found at the scene, though she had never seen Urker use drugs before. “I’m in disbelief. I can’t even process this,” she shared, reflecting on the shocking nature of his passing. “I’ve screamed until my throat burns.”
Blanchard, who has a one-year-old daughter named Aurora Raina with Urker, emphasized that he was a devoted father and vowed to honor his memory. “Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” she said, highlighting their unique connection. “He will always be my soulmate, a bond that time, distance, or even death cannot diminish.”
In response to online cruelty faced by Urker, Blanchard condemned the harsh treatment he endured. “He faced unimaginable scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying on social media, especially on platforms like TikTok and Reddit,” she remarked.
“The cruelty he faced was beyond what any human should endure. I truly believe that the immense pressure from all of that had a significant effect on him. I hope his passing reminds everyone that there’s a real person behind every screen, every headline, and every comment.”
She added, “Above all, Ken loved our daughter, Aurora. She is a beautiful reflection of his enduring spirit, and through her, a part of him will always remain with us.”
Blanchard emphasized that Urker will be “deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.”
“There are no words to capture the depth of this loss. I ask for privacy and compassion for our daughter, our families, and everyone grieving Ken during this incredibly painful time,” she concluded.
Blanchard and Urker initially connected as prison pen pals while she was serving time for her involvement in her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard’s, 2015 murder. They got engaged in October 2018, just a year after they met.
In a previous interview, Blanchard recalled the proposal fondly. “He took my hands and told me how much I meant to him and said he would be honored if I would marry him,” she described.
Urker did not present her with a ring at the time; Blanchard had received a silver band that was later confiscated by prison staff.
While incarcerated, she married Ryan Anderson in July 2022 but was released on December 28, 2023, after serving most of her sentence. The couple divorced in 2024, and she later resumed her relationship with Urker.
Before announcing her pregnancy in July 2024, they got matching husky tattoos in April. Blanchard noted in a now-deleted TikTok video that the pregnancy was unexpected but that they were both excited about becoming parents.
Urker joyfully announced the birth of their daughter on January 1, 2025, calling it “the greatest gift of all.”
