Jeremy Ruehlemann's Father Speaks Out for First Time Since Model's Death: 'This Was Accidental'

Nick Graham S/S 2019 Collection - NYFW: Men's July 2018
Nick Graham S/S 2019 Collection - NYFW: Men's July 2018

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Achmin Ruehlemann, the father of model Jeremy Ruehlemann, who died over the weekend at 27, has spoken out for the first time since his son's death.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, Achmin shared that his 27-year-old son struggled with substance use. "He did rehab and had tried to get off prescription medication," he said, adding, "Obviously, he was not successful."

Achmin shared that his son's toxicology report has not yet been finalized, so at this point, he's not "100 percent sure exactly what happened" to lead to Jeremy's death, but he speculated that it was "accidental" and related to drug use.

"There was no desire to end his life, this was accidental," he said. "Obviously, he had some issues with drug addiction, but he was very happy. He loved life. He was very vibrant, a wonderful soul and a very giving guy."

jeremy ruehlemann
jeremy ruehlemann

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RELATED: Model Jeremy Ruehlemann Dead at 27, Christian Siriano Says 'One of My Muses and Always Will Be'

The NYPD provided a statement to The Daily Mail saying that Jeremy was found at a friend's New York apartment on Saturday morning and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fashion designer Christian Siriano wrote a touching tribute to his "muse" on Instagram on Monday, sharing the news of Jeremy's death.

Alongside a carousel of photos, Siriano wrote, "I have never posted anything like this but to lose a friend who was such a beautiful soul is just really hard. This is for Jeremy, the most beautiful man that gave so much love to everyone he met no matter what. He was one of my muses and he always will be. He inspired me and I will love him forever."

Makeup artist Hung Vanngo also shared a touching tribute to his friend, writing on Instagram, "Heartbroken by the news of my dear friend @Ruehlemann's passing. He made such a large impact on everyone he met. In this industry you meet a lot of people, but he was one of those people that even if you met him once he would have a part of your heart forever."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnumPwNOQju/ Hed: Jeremy Ruehlemann Dead at 27, Christian Siriano Says 'He Was One of My Muses and Always Will Be'
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnumPwNOQju/ Hed: Jeremy Ruehlemann Dead at 27, Christian Siriano Says 'He Was One of My Muses and Always Will Be'

Christian Siriano/instagram

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In his final Instagram post, Jeremy — who previously modeled for Perry Ellis and Superdry and appeared in GQ and Playhaus Magazine — shared a behind-the-scenes snap of a photo shoot with Tommy Hilfiger.

"bts with Tommy," he captioned a shirtless image with a clothing rack in the background.

In the comment section, Hilfiger's younger brother Andy Hilfiger wrote, "So sorry 🙏🙏"

The model's father shared with The Daily Mail that in years past, Jeremy was passionate about working at a camp in upstate New York that helped kids with emotional difficulties.

"He was there at 17 as a camper, then he came back each year as a counselor up until two years ago," Achmin said.

"He loved being there helping kids. He was very well liked, very respected, and he made a difference in a lot of young lives. There were a lot of kids who came to the camp with issues about their sexual orientation.

"He helped them open up and understand their situation, whether it was sexual orientation, whatever it was. He brought a little lightheartedness to help campers see their situation is not unique," Achmin concluded.