Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s ex-husband Ryan Anderson expressed his “shock” after learning of the death of her former partner, Ken Urker.
Urker died from a suspected overdose at his Louisiana home Thursday, on his 34th birthday. He was found with drug paraphernalia and a gun at the time of his death, according to a police report obtained by Page Six.
“I didn’t believe it at first. I was like no. My initial thought was shock, like, ‘Hmm, how’d that happen?’” Anderson told “The Sarah Fraser Show” Friday.
Anderson, 40, said his thoughts quickly turned to Blanchard and Aurora, the 1-year-old daughter she shared with Urker.
“My immediate thought went to, ‘How’s Gypsy?’ My immediate thought was, ‘How’s she doing. And what about their kid?’” he continued.
Blanchard and Anderson married in June 2022 while she was serving time for her role in the 2015 murder of her mom, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard.
They announced their split in March 2024 after Blanchard was released from prison in December 2023.
Weeks later, Blanchard confirmed her relationship with Urker, whom she first met while she was incarcerated in 2017. They got engaged in October 2018 but later split.
After rekindling their romance in early 2024, Blanchard and Urker welcomed Aurora in December of that year.
Anderson said he and Urker “never really saw eye to eye,” though they never met face-to-face.
“We never met in person, but we had exchanges on the phone and we’ve had text messages. We’ve interacted and they were never good,” he said.
“But you still hate to hear that somebody passed away.”
Anderson revealed he has not spoken to Blanchard in about a year. He reached out to her dad, Rod Blanchard, after hearing the news.
“I said, ‘Hey, man, I’m hearing this news. If it’s true, tell Gypsy I’m sorry. Tell her I’m here for her if she needs me,’” he said.
“I was always somebody who could make her laugh when she was sad or give her comfort.”
Anderson said his “main concern is Aurora and Gypsy” and that he would be there for Blanchard as a friend if she reaches out.
“I don’t know if she will or not,” he added, “but if she does, I would be there for her strictly as just being there for her because I always was.”
Page Six earlier reported that Blanchard and Urker had quietly ended their relationship about a month before his death.
Blanchard claimed in a statement Friday that Urker died of a suspected overdose and said that she was “in disbelief.”
“I can’t think. I’ve screamed until my throat burns,” she said. “Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved. He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase.”
She also pointed to Urker’s struggles with negative comments aimed at him online.
“Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit,” she said. “The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure.”
If you or someone you care about is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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