The world of reality television was dealt a tragic and awful blow on Tuesday night.
Former EJNYC star Lyric McHenry was found dead in New York City, with details of her passing causing those who knew her well to react in stunned silence and/or shocked sorrow.
According to various outlets, McHenry was discovered at 5 a.m. on a sidewalk in the Bronx.
She was wearing nothing but a pajamas top and there was a small bag of cocaine on her person.
Authorities therefore suspect that McHenry died of a drug overdose.
Along with the actual narcotics found at the scene, this belief was fortified by the many Instagram photos and videos shared by McHenry and her friends late Monday night, all of which documented their night out in New York.
Here are two examples of such photos:
McHenry, her sister Maya (who also is friends with EJ Johnson and who also appeared on the aforementioned E! reality series in 2016) and some pals hit up multiple well-known Big Apple hot spots during their celebration.
Lyric was only 26 years old at the time of her death.
And, according to The New York Daily News, she was 20 weeks pregnant.
Just horrible.
Those who knew McHenry well are not taking the news of her passing well, for obvious and understandable reasons.
Dorothy Wang, who starred alongside EJ Johnson and who was close friends with McHenry, Tweeted the following after learning of Lyric’s death:
Rest In Peace Lyric McHenry. You were an angel amongst us.
Wang was a cast member on E!’s Rich Kids of Beverly Hills for four seasons and EJNYC was a one-season spinoff of this program.
Wang also called out reports about McHenry’s death that did NOT include all of her accomplishments, insiders or social media users who only focused on the overdose.
“Lyric was a Stanford graduate, scholar, activist, an intelligent, caring, friend, sister, daughter, and member of society!!!” wrote Wang.
It’s true: she also volunteered on the Obama campaign when she was 15 years old.
“Working for this campaign made my awkward stage at 15 so much doper,” wrote McHenry as a caption to the picture below, adding:
Thank you to the Obamas for inspiring us, leading with love and intellect, bringing art and artists to the White House, and also Sasha and Malia.”
Radar Online, meanwhile, writes that McHenry’s mom reacted in such hysterics upon hearing that her daughter died that she had to be hospitalized.
The 26-year-old’s mother, Jennifer, was “crying and fell to the ground and we had to catch her,” a source said about the sad situation.
This is what the New York Police Department wrote in regard to what transpired yesterday:
“On Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at approximately 0505 hours, police encountered a 26-year-old female, unconscious and unresponsive, lying on the sidewalk in the vicinity of Undercliff Avenue and Boscobel Place, within the confines of the 44 Precinct.
“There were no obvious signs of trauma observed.
“EMS responded to the location and transported the aided female to Bronx Lebanon Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.
“The investigation remains ongoing.”
And this is what EJ Johnson, the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson, wrote on social media on August 6 and McHenry and her impending birthday:
Happy birthday to my best friend who has strutted with my in princess gowns since day 1 @lyric_leighwords cannot express how much I love and appreciate you in my life.
Your constant love, respect and companionship gives me the confidence to live my truth every single day and I am so blessed that even as baby divas we recognized the greatness in each other.
I love you #leoseason #teamthis.
May Lyric McHenry rest in peace.
