“Anthony gave all of himself in everything that he did. His brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many, and his generosity knew no bounds. He was my love, my rock, my protector. I am beyond devastated. My thoughts are with his family. I would ask that you respect their privacy and mine,” Argento says in a Twitter message.
The couple met while filming an episode of his show in Rome in 2016, and had started dating a year later. According to People, Bourdain balanced a long-distance relationship with Argento while spending time with his daughter Ariane in the U.S.
Bourdain told People earlier this year that Argento made him “happier for sure,” and that “it’s nice to be with somebody who I see as a peer.”
