Married at First Sight alum Jessica Castro is opening up about her decision to remain relatively quiet in the wake of her ex-husband Ryan de Nino’s sudden death at 40.
After being asked whether Ryan died in the comments on her most recent Instagram post, Jessica, 42, responded to confirm his death.
“Yes, unfortunately it’s true. I heard the news yesterday,” Jessica replied on Wednesday, August 12, further explaining why she didn’t announce his death herself. “It was never my place to say anything, even though I knew prior to it being out in the public.”
She continued, “I’m giving his family the respect and privacy that they deserve.”
Jessica reposted the interaction to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, August 15, seemingly reiterating her decision to distance herself publicly from her ex’s death.
Ryan’s sister Melissa de Nino announced her sibling’s death on Tuesday, August 11. A cause of death was not immediately shared.
“Ryan was so damn funny and witty. He was fiercely loyal to those he loved,” Melissa wrote via Facebook at the time. “He had a huge heart, always. I can’t explain what it’s like to lose a sibling. Someone who’s been there from the beginning and shares the same memories.”
She added, “No matter what we were going through, I loved him immensely. Life as I know it will never be the same.”
Melissa received a flurry of support in the comments section.
“Oh my gosh, my heart breaks hearing this. I am so incredibly sorry, he was so funny and witty and the world was lucky to have him,” one individual replied, with another noting, “Melissa everything you said about your brother is true. Incredible potential with a great heart. I miss him so much. I smile when I think of him.”
Ryan was matched with Jessica on season 2 of Lifetime’s Married at First Sight, where they met for the first time on their wedding day. While the then-couple opted to stay together on Decision Day, they split just six weeks later.
“I come from a family of long successful marriages,” Jessica said on the show, defending her initial decision to stay with Ryan. “The word ‘divorce’ just doesn’t fall into my lifestyle.”
Once Jessica and Ryan broke up, she filed a restraining order against her former spouse at the time, claiming that he allegedly threatened her and her family.
The exes ultimately reunited at the season 2 reunion in 2015, which ended with Jessica tossing Ryan a $100 bill because “he needed the money more than” she did. He pocketed the cash and stormed off set without addressing the accusations.
“She’s f**king dead. When I get back to Brooklyn, she’s f**king dead, this girl,” Ryan said on a hot mic at the time.
After Ryan’s apparent threat, MAFS producers provided Jessica with a security team. Kinetic Company, which produces MAFS, subsequently issued a statement.
“The experts on our show have the best of intentions and highest hopes for success for each couple. After undergoing extensive background and psychological checks by third parties, couples agree to be legally married on our show,” a statement shared with Us in 2015 read. “We document their journey for six weeks after their wedding, but we can’t control how they behave, or govern their actions after production.”
After Ryan’s death 11 years later, Jessica issued a statement.
“I have not had contact with Ryan in years so I have/had no idea what his life entailed. However, I do send my sincerest condolences to his family during this very difficult time,” Jessica told Page Six on Friday, August 14. “I cannot imagine what they are going through. May he rest peacefully.”
