Annabelle Neilson‘s death at the age of 49 has left those who knew her shaken.
“Her friends and family are stunned,” a source tells PEOPLE about theLadies of Londonstar.
She also had a horse riding accident five years ago that left her in agony. “Coping with the pain was horrific,” says the source.
Ultimately, says the source, “she had a lot of private pain that she kept from others.”
Prior to her death, the former model worked with supermodels such as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell and was exceptionally close to fashion designer Alexander McQueen before his death.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage
“He was my brother, my boyfriend, my soulmate,” she told theDaily Mailin 2015. “Most of the time people called me Mrs. McQueen. Quite often we were sharing a bed.”
“The truth is I was happier with Lee than with anyone else,” Neilson added. “He asked me to marry him towards the end and I said no. I wish now that I had said yes.”
Annabelle Neilson/Instagram
“I managed to escape with my life but I needed reconstructive surgery because my face was so disfigured,” Neilson revealed. “After that, I fell into a serious depression and became a heroin addict because it provided an escape bubble and was the only way I could cope.”
She was later able to remain sober.
“The truth is I was happiest when I was training,” she told theDaily Mail. “I love the connection with these great animals and, although I grew up riding, racing is completely different.”
source: people.com
