The ‘Winter House’ star opened up to PEOPLE at BravoCon 2023 about her brother Jayseph, who died on Oct. 5 after “struggling with addiction.”
Malia White made her first public appearance on Friday since her brother Jayseph died last month at the age of 34.
The Below deck, the Mediterranean alumna i Winter house star appeared at BravoCon 2023 in Las Vegas, where PEOPLE caught up with her on the red carpet.
“I’m fine,” says White, 33, fighting back tears. “It’s been… it’s been a lot, but I’ll take it.”
Jayseph died on Oct. 5 after what White called “a battle with addiction.”
She told PEOPLE at Caeser’s Forum on Friday that she was grateful for the outpouring of kindness she received from fans following the loss. “I got a lot of love and support,” says White. “Everyone was really nice about it and my cast rallied around me, which is nice.”
Below deck Med Star Malia White mourns brother’s death ‘after battle with addiction’
Malia White at BravoCon 2023.
Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty
Love also came from the public, he notes, many of whom said they had similar experiences. “I think sharing the story of my brother and how he passed away really helped a lot of other people,” White says. “It’s shocking how many families and people are dealing with addiction. So that’s the only thing I can take from it.”
“If we were all just there for each other—really there—I think it would solve a lot of problems,” she adds.
For more information on PEOPLE’s BravoCon, click here.
On October 10, White shared the news of her brother’s death on Instagram.
“To all who knew our brother Jay, it is with heavy hearts that we announce the sad news of his passing,” the post began. “On Thursday, October 5, Jayseph (34) passed away in the middle of the night after a battle with addiction.”
“His passing is a devastating loss for our family and his friends, but we are grateful for the time we had with him,” White continued. “Jay was happiest outside, especially fishing rod in hand by the river bank with his dog Aspen. For those who had the pleasure of knowing Jay, he was truly a kind soul, willing to help anyone at a moment’s notice. We will always remember him like that.”
“We will share information about the celebration of life later,” she added.
White concluded the post by encouraging anyone struggling with addiction to reach out for help and shared a number of help lines and resources.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In addition to appearing on the red carpet, White also sat on Winter house panel with actors Amanda Batula, Tom Schwartz, Kyle Cooke, Danielle Olivera, Brian Benni and others.
She skipped the official series premiere party in New York last month.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education