The former spouse of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Ryan Anderson, expressed his surprise regarding the recent passing of Ken Urker, Blanchard’s previous partner, in Louisiana. Anderson stated he would be available for Blanchard and her daughter should they need support.
During an interview on The Sarah Fraser Show podcast, aired on Friday, Anderson shared his immediate reaction to the news of Urker’s death, which occurred on Urker’s 34th birthday and was reported as a probable drug overdose by local authorities.
According to a report from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Urker was discovered unresponsive inside his home by Blanchard’s half-brother and his spouse, who contacted emergency services upon seeing him through a window. Upon arrival, deputies found various drug paraphernalia, including syringes and a spoon next to a brown powdery substance in the bathroom, while Urker was found deceased in a bed alongside a syringe and a firearm.
Anderson, 40, described his initial response to the news as one of disbelief, saying, “My first thought was shock, like, ‘How did this happen?’ I was shocked that he passed away.” He also mentioned his immediate concern for Blanchard, 32, and their one-year-old daughter.
While acknowledging that his previous interactions with Urker were often negative, Anderson expressed his sympathy and reached out to Blanchard’s father, Rod, to convey his condolences. “I told him to let Gypsy know I’m sorry and that I’m here for her if she needs me,” Anderson recounted. He noted that while he used to be a source of comfort for Blanchard, he was uncertain if she would accept his offer of friendship.
In a statement on social media, Blanchard highlighted the intense public scrutiny and cyberbullying Urker faced, stating, “The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure.” She suggested that the pressure from such harassment significantly affected him and urged others to recognize the humanity behind online personas and headlines.
In a separate discussion with People magazine, Blanchard expressed uncertainty regarding whether Urker’s suspected overdose was intentional. Despite the initial reports pointing to a drug overdose, Sheriff’s Captain Brennan Matherne stated that the investigation was ongoing and no evidence of foul play had been found as of Friday.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard was previously incarcerated for eight years after being convicted of second-degree murder for her role in the 2015 killing of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Dee Dee was found murdered in her Springfield, Missouri home, and Gypsy facilitated the crime by providing a knife to her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, who was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
The case garnered significant media attention due to the revelation that Dee Dee had subjected Gypsy to years of abuse, forcing her to feign illness and undergo unnecessary medical treatments. During her incarceration, Blanchard met Urker, who reached out to her after viewing the documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” which detailed her life with her mother.
Urker proposed to Blanchard in October 2018, but their engagement was short-lived. They briefly separated before reuniting in August 2019, only to part ways again. In 2022, while still in prison, Blanchard married Anderson, a relationship she publicly discussed on ABC News after her release in January 2024, before announcing their separation just two months later.
Blanchard and Urker rekindled their relationship in April 2024, and welcomed their daughter, Aurora, in late December 2024. In her recent social media tribute, Blanchard remembered Urker fondly, stating, “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.”
