Tammie Frank, widow of the late “Power Rangers” actor Jason David Frank, revealed in a recent statement what really happened in the hours leading up to him taking his own life in a Texas hotel room.
Frank, who filed for divorce from her late husband in August, said that despite their differences, the two had been trying to reconcile — and they had actually reserved rooms at that hotel for the weekend in the hopes of working some things out.
She sent a statement to People Magazine calling out media for turning her husband’s tragic suicide into a “tall tale” and attempting to set the record straight. “It has shocked and saddened me beyond belief to see that the media has turned my family’s tragedy into a tall tale. Since Jason’s death, I have been harassed online and can no longer stand to watch my husband’s good name slandered,” she explained.
“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,” Frank said. “The truth is, I had no idea that Jason was thinking of ending things. Yes, he had struggled with mental health issues and depression before, but I could never predict what would happen that night.”
“Jason was a good man, but he was not without his demons,” she continued, saying that they had planned for the weekend to be a fun getaway and a chance to work things out — something that they had been working on since she initially filed for divorce — and that despite having a very difficult year, they were trying to save their 19-year marriage.
“A year ago, my daughter Shayla, whom Jason helped me raise as his own, suddenly passed away. Jason had been the one to find her when it happened, and the situation wrecked our family emotionally,” Frank revealed. “Between losing her and helping raise her baby son, Jason and I started having marital issues. 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 explained that while some outlets had made news out of the fact that the two had booked separate rooms for a getaway that was supposed to be romantic, the reason for that had been practical: “simply put, my husband snored.”
The weekend had been going well, Frank said, until that night. They had been out dancing and had stayed at the bar until it closed — after which they had spent some time talking in Jason’s room. Frank said that she only left to get some snacks from the lobby — and was only gone for ten minutes — when she returned to find his door locked and got no response when she knocked and called his name.
“I knocked repeatedly and kept calling for his name to open the door,” she said. “I don’t know if the hotel staff or a guest called the police, but after I was taken downstairs by the police, they were able to open the door and found that Jason took his life.”
Frank concluded by asking that people stop spreading rumors online, adding, “Stop making assumptions and leave my family to grieve peacefully.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or thinking of harming themselves, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.