December 08, (THEWILL) – Keisha Nash Whitaker, the ex-wife of American actor, Forest Whitaker, has passed away at the age of 51 after a struggle with anorexia.
The ex-couple’s 25-year-old daughter, True Whitaker, confirmed the tragic news on her Instagram page, describing her late mother as ”the most beautiful woman in the world” in a heartfelt post. However, she did not provide details about the cause of death. The post was captioned with an image of Keisha.
“Goodbye, Mommy. I love you 4ever and beyond. The most beautiful woman in the world… thank you for teaching me every single thing I know. I’ll see you in my dreams and I’ll feel you in my heart,” she wrote.
She passed away earlier this week, having been in and out of the hospital over the past few months due to intestinal issues, stemming from a prolonged battle with anorexia.
Keisha battled anorexia for several years, and despite Forrest staying by her side during those challenging times, he filed for divorce in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences.
Whitaker, aged 62, and Keisha tied the knot in 1996 in Jamaica and have two daughters, Sonnet, 27, and True, 25. Although she had a daughter, Autumn, from a previous relationship and he has a son, Ocean, from another relationship.
Remaining friends, the couple had an amicable divorce. Whitaker expressed that his wife was kind, funny, bright, outgoing, and a good mother to their children, providing no reason not to maintain a friendly relationship.
Whitaker’s wife raised concern in 2014 when she displayed a thin figure at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards alongside her husband. At that time, Keisha was estimated to have lost around 35lbs (two and a half stone) over the previous years.
The Hampton’s Diet author, Dr. Fred Pescatore, who did not treat Keisha, warned that such extreme weight loss at her age could lead to significant health problems, including premature ageing of the heart and bones.
