"I just didn't want to live”- When Rebecca Gayheart car accident that killed young boy left her with thoughts of taking her own life

Actress Rebecca Gayheart is married to actor Eric Dane, who recently announced that he has been diagnosed with ALS, as revealed in an interview with People Magazine.

Gayheart, who is separated from the actor, is showing him support during his time of need. She was once embroiled in a legal case that resulted in the death of a young boy. During an interview with "The Only One in the Room" podcast, the actress said:

"I just didn't want to live after that accident."

According to People Magazine, the incident took place back in 2001, when 29-year-old Gayheart was driving a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee owned by actor Marco Leonardi, who was her costar on "From Dusk Till Dawn III." The exact sequence of events is disputed, but Jorge Cruz Jr. was playing on the side of the road when the car hit him. The third grader was pronounced dead the following morning.

More about the case, as Rebecca Gayheart recalled, the burden of dealing with the incident

In her conversation with Laura Cathcart Robbins during her appearance on "The Only One in the Room" in 2019, Rebecca Gayheart recalled how the moment of the accident changed everything for her. She said:

"I had a very terrible accident happen,'' she said. "A 9-year-old child died. And, you know, everything changed from that, and, I still have trouble talking about it."

Gayheart confessed that the accident affected her so deeply that she struggled with s**cidal thoughts for a long time, and partook in self-destructive behavior.

"I did not cope very well after. That's what it came down to. I couldn't handle it at all. So I spent about a year just trying to k*ll myself, basically, by doing every self-destructive thing a person can do."

At the time of the incident, Rebecca Gayheart had released a statement to Access Hollywood, which said:

"There are no words to express my sorrow and regret over the accident. I send my prayers, thoughts, and deepest sympathy to the family. Despite the allegations in the lawsuit, the facts will establish that this was a most unfortunate accident. The pain of this tragedy will live with me forever."

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" actress was sued by the parents, who argued that their son tried to cross the street when Rebecca Gayheart hit him, although another car had stopped and allowed Cruz to cross the road. They also alleged that the actress was talking on her phone while driving, hence she was distracted, leading to the accident, according to People Magazine.

A case of wrongful death was filed against Rebecca Gayheart one month after the incident in August 2001, as the parents of Jorge Cruz "sought hospital, medical and funeral expenses" from the actress. This case was, however, settled out of court between the two parties.

Rebecca Gayheart faced a criminal charge of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and, if convicted, could face up to one year in prison. According to Entertainment Online, the "Wasteland" actress pleaded no contest to the charges and received a three-year probation sentence. Her driving license was also revoked for one year, and she was ordered to pay a $2800 fine, along with engaging in 750 hours of community service.

In her appearance on the podcast, Rebecca Gayheart stated that she has always gone back to the moment when the accident happened, which led her to question everything.

"I just didn't understand. I didn't understand any of it. I had led sort of a charmed life up until then, even though I grew up dirt poor ... It just turned my world upside down and I lost faith in everything, like, I questioned God, like, 'Why me? Why Jorge?'"

Rebecca Gayheart also discussed in the podcast how each moment from that fateful day still lives in her head, prompting her to ask herself if the result would be different if she had planned her day differently.

“I struggle with the ‘Why?’ still,” she explained. “I still replay it in my head of, ‘Had I stopped at the gas station, maybe I wouldn’t have been on that street.’ You know, those things never go away. They stay with you forever and I did not cope very well after. Listen, I just didn’t want to live after that accident.”

Rebecca Gayheart, however assets the years since the accident have allowed her to properly reflect and stop punishing herself for something she can no longer change.

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"Today, I am able to ponder those questions and still realize that I deserve to be happy. That I am meant to be on this planet and that I have a purpose and I’m making, living amends for that, even though it was an accident.”

Rebecca Gayheart is now facing another, albeit different challenge, as she and her children stand by her husband, Eric Dane, as he battles ALS.

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