Jim Carrey catapulted to fame in the 1990s with blockbuster hits like The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Cable Guy, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Despite his public persona as a comedic actor, Carrey’s life has had its share of serious struggles. One of the most tragic moments came when his ex-girlfriend, Catriona White, committed suicide, leaving a note that implicated him in her decision.
Catriona White, Carrey’s ex-girlfriend, wrote a letter on her iPad dated April 8, 2013. Although it remains unclear if she sent the letter to Carrey before her death on September 28, 2015, it was discovered after her passing and has since been made public. White died just two weeks before her thirtieth birthday.
At the time of writing the letter, White and Carrey had ended their relationship. White had informed Carrey that she had contracted herpes, tested positive for the sexually transmitted infection, and this revelation led to their breakup. Despite her claim that she had contracted the infection before their relationship began, Carrey could no longer trust her.
Following White’s death, which was ruled a suicide by overdose of sleeping pills, heart medication, and pain relievers, investigators discovered the note. This led White’s family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the then 55-year-old actor.
Carrey and White started dating after Carrey ended his relationship with Jenny McCarthy. White, an Irish makeup artist, and Carrey had an on-and-off relationship that appeared fairy tale-like to outsiders but was tumultuous behind the scenes.
One of the two notes found at the scene was addressed directly to Carrey. After White’s death, Carrey cooperated with the police investigation and served as a pallbearer at her funeral in Ireland. However, her family later turned against him, filing a lawsuit claiming he was responsible for her death. White’s mother specifically blamed Carrey for her daughter’s demise.
“Jim Carrey should be ashamed for what he did to my daughter,” White’s mother wrote in the lawsuit. “As a family, we want the world to know the truth about who Jim Carrey really is.”
Carrey is set to appear in court in April to contest the allegations of wrongful death. In response to the lawsuit, Carrey issued a statement: “I will not tolerate this heartless attempt to exploit the woman I loved or me.”
White’s note to Carrey was particularly damaging. “You did good things for me, but being with you broke me down as a person, Jim. I was promised Jekyll, and instead, I got Hyde,” it read. “You gave me HSV and HPV. I want you to apologize for it because you care enough to. I want you to understand that however little a thing seems to you, it ruins a girl’s life.”
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