Two weeks following the shocking death of famed TV host and world traveler Anthony Bourdain, more closure has arrived on the case. Police had already determined the cause of death of the culinary icon as suicide by hanging. However — and relevant to Bourdain’s openness about his struggles with addiction — the local French prosecutor has issued a follow-up statement (to confirm that drugs were not a factor in this tragedy) via the New York Times:
From an investigative standpoint, the only question left was whether he had any substances in his body. There were none, save for the trace of a nonnarcotic medicine in a therapeutic dose, Christian de Rocquigny, the local prosecutor in charge of the investigation, said in a text message.
Friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert discovered Bourdain’s body in his hotel room in the village of Kaysersberg, located along the Alsace wine route. At the time of his death, Bourdain was hard at work on the award-winning, beloved CNN series, Parts Unknown, and the Times notes that he skipped his evening meal and did not appear at breakfast, which led Ripert to grow concerned.
Tributes and heartfelt sentiments still continue almost daily by those touched by Bourdain’s enduring humanity. His body was cremated about a week ago with remains already delivered to family, which is still arranging for a private ceremony. Bourdain’s mother, Gladys, has said this will happen with “as little fuss as possible,” and she’s planning to get a small tattoo with her son’s name, even though she admits never being wild about his tattoos. Yet they’re a part of his enduring legacy, which will captivate viewers for many years to come.
(Via New York Times)