Michael Mew, a close friend of porn star Wilfried Knight, has confirmed in a statement that Knight died on March 5 in an apparent suicide.
Mew wrote:
It is with heavy heart that I announce the passing of Wilfried Knight on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013.
The last thing he would want is everyone to think he was a porn-star cliché. He was not: He was not a drug or steroid abuser, and he did not drink like crazy.
He was a funny man with a kitschy sense of humour, who was more at home in the outdoors; on a mountaintop or volcano with his trusty pitbull he affectionately called Pig Daughter.
If you did see him at a bar or club, he was usually off on the side somewhere drinking a dry glass of white wine with his husband, Jerry.
As many of you do not know, Wilfried’s husband of seven years, Jerry Enriquez, took his own life less then two weeks before Wilfried did. Wilfried decided to follow him; taking his own life in the same hotel where they were legally married in up in Vancouver, Canada.
Jerry was an American citizen and Wilfried was a French national. Despite the challenges of being in a multi-national relationship, they tried very hard to make it work and stay together. Wilfried even enrolled into acupuncture school in Portland so that they can stay together. With his schooling and attached visa coming to a close end, Jerry desperately looked for work in Vancouver, Canada. They would have preferred to stay Portland but due to American immigration laws their Canadian marriage was not recognized and Wilfried would have to leave the U.S.
Jerry was so happy when he landed a job at Lululemon as the manager their IVIVA clothing line. Since Wilfried and Jerry were legally married in Canada, Wilfried was given a spouse visa and they both happily moved up to Vancouver.
They both were very private people in a lot of ways. After about a year, Jerry was let go by Lululemon. Wilfried told me about the questionable treatment Jerry received from Lululemon of which he wrote on his blog. Without a job or work visa in Canada, Jerry and Wilfried would not be able to stay in Canada and they could not return to the U.S. together.
After about five months not being able to find a new job, Jerry took his own life on February 21, 2013.
Death can come suddenly and people forget to take care of final matters. There was no will. Anything that Wilfried and Jerry had build together, including their home in Portland, now went to Jerry’s family. Their relationship was never formally recognized by the U.S. government, even though they were legally married in Canada and had over eight years of memories and photos together.
Up to the end, he expressed how he wished that no couple would have to endure what he and Jerry had to in trying to stay together. They would both be alive today if America had gay marriage.
They will be missed.
We reached out to Lucas Entertainment, where Knight filmed more than 20 movies. “I was hoping it was a hoax,” Lucas director Marc MacNamara told us. “I loved Wilfried dearly. There are some people who you just completely connect with and we had a beautiful bond. We kept in contact over the years as he had such a grounded perspective of life. He was so incredibly caring and genuine and we, as an industry and as a community are all at a great loss without Wilfried’s presence.”
MacNamara told us that many performers have taken Knight’s passing particularly hard, and he hopes they remember to stay strong.
Our condolences to Knight’s friends and loved ones.
FROM TOWLEROAD
Gay adult film actor Wilfried Knight has died, his friends in the business Matthew Rush and Chris Yosef confirmed this evening. Knight began his career as part of Lucas Entertainment and appeared in dozens of films.
Knight's death, the details of which have not emerged, comes just weeks after his partner Jerry Enriquez committed suicide.
Knight wrote about Enriquez's death in a lengthy, emotional blog post dated March 3:
And i was in love, and so was my partner. He let me be who i wanted to be. He did not agree with everything i was but he let me be. He gave me the best 8, almost 9 years of my life. And this amazing guy committed suicide by hanging last week, after fighting for so long for us to stay together.
RIP.
UPDATE: Falcon and Raging Stallion studios released a statement:
"Born in 1977 and growing up in Champagne, France, the 35-year-old actor appeared in over 10 Raging Stallion productions in the last four years. Originally an exclusive for Lucas Entertainment, Wilfried became the first-ever joint Lucas/ Raging Stallion exclusive. He was a consummate performer and a joy to have on set, which was why he was chosen to appear in the studio's major releases. He contributed to the success of the biggest industry hits from Raging Stallion, including Cowboys, Giants, Tales of the Arabian Nights and Focus/Refocus.
"His skills and talent didn't go unrecognized; he won the 2010 GayVN Award for Performer of the Year, and he took home the 2011 Grabby for Best Versatile Performer. A man of stature, standing 6'2" and weighing in at nearly 200 pounds, Knight had a huge presence, a gracious air, and a caring disposition. His charm and humor did not go unnoticed. All of these traits are what made him a superstar of the industry.
"While the details of his death are not yet know, Knight recently lost his partner of nine years to suicide.
"Chris Ward, Falcon/Raging Stallion Studios President offered these sentiments about his friend: 'Wilfried's death is a blow to our studio and to our industry. There was no nicer man. We have all lost someone very special. I can only say that personally I am devastated. Wilfried was a friend and I shall miss him. All of us at Falcon and Raging Stallion Studios hope he is at peace, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. I know that his good friend and director, Tony Dimarco, is also greatly saddened by this tragic loss.'"
The studio also issued this collective expression of loss:
"We grieve deeply at the passing of Wilfried Knight. We offer our most genuine thoughts of sympathy and warm wishes to Wilfried's family, friends and loved ones. He was an extraordinary talent and a special man who brought joy to our hearts. Wilfried, we celebrate your life and your accomplishments, and hope that you rest in peace. You will be missed greatly."
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