Ashley was a talented and created jewelry designer before her untimely passing on Feb. 6. Find out more about her jewelry line!
Ashley Riggitano, 22, jumped off the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River on Feb. 6, ending her life and leaving behind a popular jewelry line that she owned with friend Victoria Van Thunen. Unfortunately, Victoria was one of five people that Ashley named in a suicide note as people who bullied her before she ended her life.
Ashley & Victoria’s Jewlery Line — Missfits: More About Her Life
Ashley and Victoria’s website says, “We are two Jersey girls who grew up one poof of Tinkerbelle’s fairy dust from culturally-rich NYC. And although we hail from the Garden State, it is Manhattan that we will always call home. It is our playground, our inspiration and our lifeline in all aspects of the word. This is where we first learned that the loafers we grew up seeing on the feet of our parents’ friends could look damn hot when completing the Wall Street business look. And, that solid friends (the kind who won’t stick you in a cab just because they found a self-made millionaire under the age of 26 to hit on) are as rare as amazing jewelry.
“We met in school during a standardized test. This grew into an immediate bond over our anguish at having to spend so much time on the Jersey side of the Hudson. As time went by, we found that our obsessions ran parallel and we began Missfits. Our pieces reflect our addiction to fashion (why couldn’t Alexander McQueen have designed NYC subways? We could all have been travelling to work in a pseudo-Wonderland by now) and passion for cultural trends. We blend our vision with quality, which results in beautiful creations that last. Maintaining the concept that uniqueness and eccentricity are invaluable elements of individual style has been no easy task, but it has been a worthwhile evolution.
“Just as no two people are the same, nor are any two Missfits pieces. Each is made with semi-precious gemstones and an array of ethnic beads from across the globe. Join us in our diverse passions and we promise you will not regret lining your wrists and swan-like necks with our brand.”
It appears as though their friendship did not last. Ashley named Victoria as one of five people banned from her funeral, the people who made her miserable in life.
Facebook Bullying Led To Ashley Riggitano’s Death
Earlier on Feb. 6, Ashley wrote on her Facebook, ‘Those who incessantly blame others as the cause of their issues should perhaps take a step back and reevaluate these situations. The common thread may be that ‘they’ aren’t the problem, but rather that YOU are.”
What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers?
More Tragic Bullying & Suicide News:
Rachel
Posted at 10:10 AM on February 9, 2013
I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but I can’t help but wonder why she didn’t just stop participating. It was on Facebook. She could’ve ignored the comments, not logged on, deactivated her account or canceled it altogether. There are so many avenues she could’ve taken to avoid being bullied (if that is, indeed, what was happening). However, it seems like she was an equal and willing participant and not necessarily a victim. So, while I hope she has found peace, I hope others like her learn to log off.