A Mother's Anguish: Daveigh Chase's Family Speaks After Loss

The Ring actress Daveigh Chase died on June 16 at age 35, but her mother Cathy Chase didn’t learn about her death through family — she found out through the media. That detail alone captures the heartbreaking distance that had grown between them, especially after Cathy last saw her daughter in October 2019.

In an interview with Daily Mail published Friday, June 19, Cathy described the moment she learned of Daveigh’s death with raw honesty. I was devastated. It felt like something inside of me squeezing all of the air out of me, and at the same time, It felt like I was exploding outwardly, she said. I let out this guttural scream and I just was running, and these weird sounds were coming out of me, like, primeval sounds. I went out into the backyard, and I was screaming, No, no, no, no! I am in so much pain but I hope her soul heard me.

According to Daveigh’s boyfriend Roy Hernandez, who announced her death on Wednesday, June 17, she died from meningitis and blood infections that led to sepsis. Days before his announcement, Hernandez had launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover her mounting medical expenses, writing that doctors had told him she may not have much time left. That fundraiser became, in retrospect, one of the final public acknowledgments that Daveigh was still alive.

Cathy’s account paints a picture of a mother grappling with years of separation and concern. She described searching coroner’s databases and scanning lists of unidentified bodies, desperate for any trace of her daughter. According to Cathy, Daveigh’s troubles began after a 2016 motorcycle accident left her with a serious back injury. She was seeking drugs and was partying with the wrong people, Cathy claimed, adding that she never kicked her daughter out. She wanted freedom and these people got her hooked on some drugs. That was the beginning.

When Cathy finally saw Daveigh in 2019, she was alarmed by her condition. She was completely gone, like, out of her mind. I honestly thought there was something wrong with her, Cathy recalled. My daughter was never diagnosed with mental health other than PTSD, but the drugs took hold of her.

In the days after Daveigh’s death, Cathy was able to say goodbye in a way that mattered to her. She and a hospital chaplain laid hands on the glass separating them from Daveigh’s body and prayed together. It was a beautiful experience, and I feel very blessed to have been able to share that with my daughter, Cathy told the Daily Mail. For a mother who’d spent years wondering where her daughter was, that moment of connection—even through glass—became something sacred.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).