Ric Ocasek’s Wife Paulina Porizkova: New Interview

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Inductee Ric Ocasek of The Cars performs at the 33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Auditorium on April 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; used with permission)

CBS Sunday Morning aired an interview with Paulina Porizkova on March 1, in which the supermodel describes finding the body of her rock star husband in their townhouse as “the worst moment in my life.”

The couple were separated, though still living together, and had filed for divorce at the time of his death on Sept. 15, 2019.

In the new interview, Porizkova says she felt “incredibly hurt” and “betrayed” when she discovered that she had been cut out of his will. “It made the grieving process really, really tricky,” she says. The pair wed in 1989.

Watch the interview and feature

Porizkova turned 55 on April 9. She celebrated with an Instagram post, where she wrote that she was “grateful for all the gifts life has bestowed on me thus far.”

View this post on Instagram

TBT. Less than two months ago, the world was still a familiar place. And I was basking in its best incarnation, here in Costa Rica. 💕 Humor me, if you will, today. I’m now 55, and I have gone through half a lifetime only liking the way I look in retrospect. I look at old photos and realize how good I had it. So today, I am looking at myself, (in an admittedly flattering photo) and think, “ hey, I m a good 55 year old! ” I will feel pretty today. And endlessly grateful for all the gifts life has bestowed on me thus far. They’ve been many. Quarantine is a great time to sift through them all. Hermosahills.com #costarica🇨🇷 #costarica #villaneruda #hermosahills #sofuckinggrateful #betweenjloandbettywhite #puravida #santateresa #santateresacostarica #shamelessvacationing #flattenthecurve

A post shared by Paulina Porizkova (@paulinaporizkov) on Apr 9, 2020 at 7:35am PDT

On Nov. 7, the New York Post first reported that Ocasek had cut Porizkova, out of his will several weeks before he died. It was Porizkova who discovered Ocasek’s body on the morning of his death.

The Post quoted Ocasek’s will: “I have made no provision for my wife Paulina Porizkova as we are in the process of divorcing. Even if I should died before our divorce is final… Paulina is not entitled to any elective share because she abandoned me.”

On Nov. 9, Paulina acknowledged the slight on her Instagram, indicating that she had been aware of it since the death after his death. (See below.)

Ocasek’s document was dated Aug. 28, less than three weeks before he died. The couple first met when the then-18-year-old supermodel was cast in the Cars’ “Drive” video in 1984. Porizkova describes it as “love at first sight” when she met Ocasek, who was married at the time to his second wife.

On Nov. 9, Paulina acknowledged the slight on her Instagram. A family photo was accompanied by her caption, “I’ve known about the will since the day after Ric passed. All you have heard from me since- is inspite [sic] of that. #loveneverdies

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I’ve known about the will since the day after Ric passed. All you have heard from me since- is inspite of that. #loveneverdies

A post shared by Paulina Porizkova (@paulinaporizkov) on Nov 9, 2019 at 7:12am PST

On Sept. 16, one day after Ocasek passed, his family issued a statement via The Cars’ Facebook page.

“Ric was at home recuperating very well after surgery. Our two sons, Jonathan and Oliver, and I were making sure he was comfortable, ordering food and watching TV together. I found him still asleep when bringing him his Sunday morning coffee.

I touched his cheek to rouse him. It was then I realized that during the night he had peacefully passed on.

We appreciate the great outpouring of love. We, his family and friends, are completely and utterly devastated by his untimely and unexpected death and would appreciate the privacy to mourn in private.”

–from the Ocasek Family

The “I” in the first two paragraphs was Porizkova.

Ocasek’s sons found this last doodle on his armchair

Later that day, the Cars posted the above note from his sons: “Our dad was a prolific doodler. His passing was sudden, unexpected and beyond heartbreaking. Yesterday, we found this last doodle on his armchair. He couldn’t have known what it would end up meaning to us. We love him so much.

The Cars’ lead guitarist Elliot Easton also posted a statement on Ocasek’s passing, addressing fans of the band on his Facebook page: “Thank you friends, for the overwhelming outpouring of emails, texts and posts of condolence and sympathy. I have read them all, and there are so many that I may not be able to respond to all of them, but please know that your reaching out at this incredibly difficult time has meant so much to me, and has been a comfort in our profoundly sad time of grief. The Cars are a family, for better or worse, and I lost my big brother yesterday.”

Related: Fellow rockers mourn Ocasek

Ocasek died Sept. 15, 2019, in his New York City apartment, of heart disease. The New York City medical examiner’s office said the cause of death was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with pulmonary emphysema as a contributing factor.