Orange County, CA – The reality TV world is in mourning after Lauri Peterson, former star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, announced the heartbreaking death of her son, Josh Waring, at just 35 years old. Waring had publicly battled substance abuse issues for many years before his untimely passing on Easter Sunday, March 31st.
In a lengthy and emotional statement posted to Instagram on April 6th, Peterson paid tribute to her late son, opening with the devastating words “It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday.”
A Childhood Cut Short
According to his mother, Josh Waring’s childhood was filled with promise – an inquisitive intellect, a playful sense of humor, athletic prowess in sports like snowboarding, and a deep love of reading, friends, and music. Born on December 20, 1988, he seemed to have the world at his feet.
But troubles began early for the young Waring. His mother’s rise to fame on the inaugural season of the hit Bravo reality show thrust him into the spotlight at a vulnerable age. As Peterson wrote, “Josh’s childhood was filled with…athletics, snowboarding, body boarding mountain hikes, reading, friends and his love for music.”
A Lengthy Battle
Those idyllic childhood years were soon marred by Waring’s descent into substance abuse and cycles of run-ins with the law that would persist for over a decade. Lauri Peterson was open about her son’s struggles, which played out in part on RHOC during her tenure in Seasons 1-4 and later as a “friend” in Seasons 6 and 8.
In her statement, Peterson seemed to allude to her son’s integrity and kindness even during his darkest times, writing “Josh continued to maintain his sense of humour, continued to be optimistic, continued to be kind to others, defended those that were unable to defend themselves and continued to love his family so so much!”
However, his long battle with addiction ultimately proved fatal this year at the young age of 35. Waring is survived by his young daughter Kennady as well as his parents Lauri and George Peterson and sisters Ashley and Sophie.
An Outpouring of Support
Since sharing the tragic news, Lauri Peterson has received an outpouring of support and condolences from her former RHOC co-stars and fans. Andy Cohen, the creator and host of the Real Housewives franchise, commented “Lauri I am so sorry. This is heartbreaking. You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Josh’s story you would up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it. May Josh’s memory be a blessing to you always.”
Gretchen Rossi, who starred alongside Peterson, wrote “Oh Laurie, my heart breaks for you so much. I know how much you fought for him and always wanted nothing but the best for him…May the Lord surround you with his angels and give you strength through this incredibly hard loss. I love you friend.”
In her moving tribute, Peterson seemed to recognize both the depths of her son’s struggles and her gratitude to those who supported him, writing “Not everyone understands those suffering from substance abuse disorder, but I am forever grateful for your understanding and the impact you made on his life.”
A Harsh Reality
Waring’s tragic death at just 35 years old is a brutal reminder of the harsh realities of addiction and substance abuse disorders that impact millions of families. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2022 alone.
While high-profile cases like Waring’s raise awareness, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this ongoing crisis impacting communities across the nation and world. Addiction specialists stress the importance of increased access to treatment resources, de-stigmatization of substance abuse as a disease, and support for impacted families.
As Lauri Peterson laid her son to rest, her final words to him captured both the unimaginable pain of loss and the hope that he has “found the peace that you so deserve.” She wrote, “Heaven has gained the coolest angel and you have gained your freedom at last sweet boy. Love always and forever, Mom.”
