The recent passing of Joshua Waring, son of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" alum Lauri Peterson, has brought the complexities of addiction and its impact on families into sharp focus. Waring's life, marked by struggles with substance abuse and legal issues, ended on March 31st at the age of 35. This article explores the circumstances surrounding his death, the reactions of his family and friends, and the broader context of his well-documented battles with addiction.
A Mother's Grief
Lauri Peterson shared the news of her son’s death on social media on April 6 alongside a carousel of photos of her son. The photos ranged from his childhood with his family to adulthood, including a photo from her 2007 wedding. Peterson's emotional message on Instagram revealed the depth of her grief. "It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday," she wrote. "No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great.”
Peterson recalled her son’s childhood, noting that it was full of “humor” and “pranks” as well as sports, books, hanging out with friends, and a “love for music.”“Even during adult hardship, Josh continued to maintain his sense of humor, continued to be optimistic, continued to be kind to others, defended those that were unable to defend themselves and continued to love his family so so much!” she added. Peterson noted that he had the “most joy, pride and purpose” through his daughter, Kennady, who he welcomed in 2012.
She also expressed gratitude to those who had supported her son, calling them "Angels on earth," and acknowledged the difficulty many have in understanding substance abuse disorder. “My heart is with you and I pray you have found the peace that you so deserve,” she concluded her caption. “Heaven has gained the coolest angel and you have gained your freedom at last sweet boy. Love always and forever, Mom.”
Sister's Remembrance: Ashley Zarlin's Perspective
Echoing Peterson’s sentiments was Waring’s older sister, Ashley Zarlin. Ashley Zarlin's words reflected the profound sense of loss and the unfulfilled potential in her brother's life. “My heart aches for the lost opportunities for us to grow together as adults, to share laughter and dreams, the conversations that we will never get to have, and the dreams that will be left unfulfilled,” Zarlin wrote on Instagram Sunday. Referring to Peterson, she went on to note: “My mom’s unwavering love and tireless efforts to support him will forever be etched in my heart. She fought alongside him, never wavering in her belief that he could overcome this demon.”
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Public Reaction and Support
In the comments, Peterson received an outpouring of love and sympathy, including a sweet message from her daughter, Ashley Zarlin, who wrote, “I love you so much, mom.”The news of Waring's death resonated with many, prompting an outpouring of support for Peterson and her family. Andy Cohen shared his regards to Peterson, writing in part, “Lauri I am so sorry. This is heartbreaking.”“You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Josh’s story you would up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it,” Cohen added. “May Josh’s memory be a blessing to you always. Sending your family all my love.”She also received support from her fellow “RHOC” alums, including Jeana Keough, Kelly Dodd, and Lizzie Rovsek.
“My heart breaks for you, i know how hard you worked to be his advocate,” Keough worte. “Big hug and prayers for your family at this sad time.”Dodd added, “I’m so sorry for your loss 😢!! My prayers go out to y’all !!”Meanwhile, Rovsek told Peterson that she was “praying for peace and comfort” for her.“I can’t even begin to imagine this kind of loss," she said. "My heart aches for you and what you all went through all these years. You are a great mom. Sending you a big hug and all my love and prayers.”
A History of Struggles
Peterson has been candid over the years about her son’s struggle with addiction, telling TODAY in October 2018 that she didn’t know her son’s “addiction was as great as it was” until after she left “RHOC” in 2008. Waring's battles with substance abuse were not a secret, having been documented during Peterson's time on "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Peterson’s exit from the show in Season 4 coincided with the revelation that her son had a heroin addiction. For much of the past decade, Waring had been embroiled in legal turmoil. In 2016, he was charged with three counts of attempted murder for the shooting of Daniel Lopez, and served four years in prison before entering a guilty plea. In September 2022, Joshua plead guilty to drug charges and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to the Los Angeles Times.In February, he was arrested on suspicion of punching a security guard in Santa Ana, California. He also had multiple arrests on drug possession counts.
Adoption of Granddaughter
Due to her son’s struggles with addiction, Peterson and her husband, George Peterson, made the decision to adopt their granddaughter in 2015. She spoked to Bravo’s The Daily Dish in October 2015 about her decision, explaining that both Joshua and his wife were “really struggling” after welcoming their daughter and that she and her husband “elected to help out” and began to help raise Kennady.“It’s been such a great experience because this is helping them out and hopefully they can get their lives together and be OK,” she added.
The Unfolding Tragedy
Reality television star Lauri Peterson shared this weekend that her son, Josh Waring, died March 31 at age 35. The “Real Housevives of Orange County” alum addressed Waring’s death in an emotional Instagram post Sunday.“It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday. No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss,” Peterson wrote. “Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great.”
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She continued: “Even during adult hardship, Josh continued to maintain his sense of humor, continued to be optimistic, continued to be kind to others, defended those that were unable to defend themselves and continued to love his family so so much! He received the most joy, pride and purpose through his daughter Kennady and watching her grow and thrive over the years.”The Orange Country Register described Waring’s death as an “apparent drug overdose,” but noted that the exact cause would be later confirmed by coroner’s officials following additional tests. Peterson’s Instagram post drew an outpouring of support from some of her famous friends, including Bravo TV host Andy Cohen. “You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Josh’s story you would [sic] up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it,” Cohen wrote. “May Josh’s memory be a blessing to you always.