Tammie Frank, the wife of “Power Rangers” star Jason David Frank, has confirmed that her husband died by suicide.
“My name is Tammie Frank, and my husband was Jason David Frank, who tragically lost his life to suicide just last week,” she said in an exclusive statement to People. “While Jason was a well-known name to some, we lived a very normal life with ups and downs, just like anyone else.”
Jason David Frank was known to many fans for his role as Tommy Oliver, the original Green Power Ranger, in the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” TV series.
He died at the age of 49 last month, his manager, Justine Hunt, said in a statement at the time.
Speaking to People, Tammie Frank said she had been “shocked and saddened” to see speculation about her husband’s death in the media.
“I loved my husband, and we were trying to work through our problems. His death comes as much a shock to me as anyone else,” she said.
“The truth is, I had no idea that Jason was thinking of ending things,” she added. “Yes, he had struggled with mental health issues and depression before, but I could never predict what would happen that night.”
She shared that while they had been going through some issues in their marriage and had “initially planned to separate,” they had subsequently called off their separation “and were in the process of reuniting.”
Frank, a martial arts instructor, explained that she and her husband had gone through a rough time following the death of her daughter, Shayla, last year.
“Between losing (Shayla) and helping raise her baby son, Jason and I started having marital issues,” she said. “For anyone who has known the pain of losing a child, I know you understand how such a loss changes things in your marriage.”
Frank also shared that her husband died while they were on a two-night getaway at a hotel.
“We danced and stayed out at the event until the bar closed. When we got back to the hotel, Jason and I were having a heartfelt and emotional talk in his room,” she said. “To help Jason relax and sober up before turning down to sleep, I went downstairs to get us snacks from the lobby. I must’ve been gone no more than 10 minutes. I went back upstairs and began knocking on the door to no answer.”
Eventually, the police were called and they were able to open the door, at which point they discovered that the actor had died by suicide.
Frank asked for “sympathy and understanding” as she grieves her husband.
“All we want is to remember Jason and our happiest memories, and move on from the pain of losing a loved one,” she said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
