Denise Richards has given a heartbreaking reaction to ex Patrick Muldoon’s tragic death.
“It’s so hard to put this into words. I’m so heartbroken and devastated by your loss,” she wrote in an emotional tribute on Instagram on Tuesday, posting a montage that included footage of the two of them spending years together.
Richards, who co-starred with Muldoon in the 1997 film Starship Troopers, recalled meeting the late Muldoon in an acting class when she was 19 and he 21, and called the late Muldoon his “best friend” and “family.”
“And here we are, 36 years later. All of my adult life, and I don’t know it without you,” Richards continued. “The friendship, love, support, respect and loyalty we had was unconditional and rare.”
The “RHOBH” alum said Muldoon “lit up every room” he entered and was “larger than life,” calling the late “Melrose Place” star “the most underrated actor.”
“Everything you did was contagious: your laughter, your kindness, your wit, your strength, your loyalty, your passion, and your zest for life,” Richards continued. “We were irreplaceable to each other. The memories we had together are endless.”
Ms Richards added that Ms Muldoon had always “taken her back and protected her more than anyone else” and admitted she was already at a loss without her ex.
“You are my voice of reason and pillar of strength, especially during the pain and heartache of this past year,” she said, apparently referring to her ongoing tumultuous divorce from Aaron Phypers.
“And now, because of this pain and heartache of losing you, I need you more than ever,” Richards said. “Sweet baby, we had that conversation. We thought we were going to live forever, at least into our 90s.”
She concluded the post with, “Sweet baby, I look for the signs. I need you to know that you’re still here with me. I love you so much and I really missed you Shweet baby. 💔🙏🪽.”
Muldoon died of a sudden heart attack on Sunday. He was 57 years old.
His partner, Miriam Rothbart, found him unconscious on the bathroom floor of their Beverly Hills home. He was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics were called.
A few weeks before Muldoon died, he reunited with Richards at the 2026 Saturn Awards in Los Angeles.
Richards and Muldoon dated for nearly five years in the late ’90s. They remained close until Muldoon’s death.
The Days of Our Lives alum spoke about her close friendship with Richards during an appearance on Tori Spelling’s MisSPELLING podcast in October 2025.
“Neither of us come from a showbiz family. Our families have known each other for years and have checked in with each other to get through the crazy things that everyone goes through,” he said.
Muldoon also said that Charlie Sheen and Richards’ children – daughters Laura, 20, and Sami, 22 – remained on “good terms” even after their split.
Laura paid tribute to Muldoon on Instagram on Monday, revealing that she had “begged” her mother to get back together with him.
“I thought you were someone who was supposed to be in our lives forever,” Laura wrote. “When I think back to my childhood, I think of you. It’s so strange to live without you in our life.”
Laura also thanked Muldoon for being her mother’s “best friend.”
“You all came as a package and I am so grateful to have gotten to know you and witness such a genuine and special friendship,” she said.
