Charo mourning husband’s death
Entertainer Charo and her family are mourning the unexpected death of her husband, Kjell Rasten, who died by suicide on Monday. He was 78.
“Yesterday, Kjell, my husband of 40 years and the love of my life, killed himself,” Charo said Tuesday in a statement. “There are no words to describe what we are feeling now. He was an amazing man, a great husband and the best father I could imagine to our son. He dedicated his life to loving and supporting his family.”
Beverly Hills Police Department officers were called to the couple’s home at about 12:31 p.m., spokeswoman Elisabeth Albanese said in a statement. They found Rasten, a former television producer who was also Charo’s manager, “with life-threatening injuries,” she said.
“Beverly Hills Police and Fire personnel attempted life-saving measures and transported the victim to Cedars-sinai Medical Center. Shortly after 1 p.m., the male succumbed to his injuries,” the statement said.
Albanese said the Los Angeles County coroner’s office will determine the cause and manner of death.
Charo said in recent years Rasten developed Bullous pemphigoid, a rare skin disease, became depressed and was taking numerous medications, which “became too much for him.”
Rasten is survived by his wife and their only child, Shel Rasten. than 15 years.
At its peak, the program was syndicated on dozens of TV stations across the country. Horowitz also made regular appearances on NBC’S “Today” show, did radio commentaries and had a newspaper column.
In 1987, Horowitz was taken hostage during a TV broadcast by a gunman with mental problems. The journalist read the man’s statements on camera although the hostage-taker didn’t realize the broadcast had been cut. The weapon turned out to be an empty BB gun.
His reporting was criticized by some consumer advocates and reporters as being too concerned with showmanship and less-serious consumer concerns.
But the Chicago Tribune noted in 1987 that Horowitz waged successful campaigns to remove life-threatening sulfites from salad bars and to require automakers to install rear window collision-avoidance lights. He was honored by consumer groups and in 1981 became the first newsman to receive the Chief U.S. Postal Inspector’s Award for uncovering mail fraud.