Ashley Mattingly, lost too soon

 💔 She would have been 35 today, another beautiful angel gone too soon after bouts with alcohol and depression, she took her own life at only 33. 💔

Ashley Mattingly was born in Dallas Texas on September 10th 1986, and in 2011 was Playmate of the Month, also gracing the cover of that issue.

Her troubles became public in 2012 when her ex-boyfriend was convicted of domestic battery.  She fell into problems with substance abuse.  In early 2016 she was charged with DUI when she wrecked a golf cart into several parked cars.

She was living in Austin at the time she died, trying to get her life back on track.  Ashley had adopted a 9 month old golden retriever names, Miss Jean, to help with her loneliness and the "shelter in place" did more harm than good for her.  She posted a video to instagram just a couple of days before taking her life by gunshot.  Benzodiazepine and opiates were found in her system.

The bigger tragedy in our world is that we only seem to hear about things like this afterward, and only when it happens to someone famous.

This beautiful angel was lost too soon for many reasons, nobody is to blame but it shows that we need to be more mindful of our loved ones, pay attention to what they say and don't say, see through the "I'm fine" when we know that's not where they are in life, especially when they are on medications or might be taking something on their own.

I never met Ashley, wasn't even going to post about her, until I read her story, what happened to her and know how horrible loneliness is, especially when battling alcohol and drugs, it breaks my heart that she felt so alone.  People shouldn't feel alone, not anymore, especially in today's society when there are SO many ways to reach out to them.

If you or someone you know is having issues with depression and/or substance abuse, TALK TO SOMEONE, don't keep it all to yourself, family and friends are supposed to be there in times of need and few are as more in need than times of real loneliness.