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Caitlyn Jenner has opened up for the first time about the loss of her close friend and manager, Sophia Hutchins, who was killed in an ATV crash on July 2 near the Olympian's Malibu residence. Hutchins was 29.
Authorities confirmed the accident occurred after Hutchins' 2013 Polaris ATV collided with a Mazda sedan carrying two passengers. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Eduardo Saucedo reported that Hutchins had been traveling at a high speed when her ATV struck the rear of another vehicle, causing her to lose control and veer off the road. The four-wheeler plunged roughly 350 feet into a ravine, and she was pronounced dead on site. A later report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the death was accidental and resulted from multiple blunt force injuries.
Jenner, 75, broke down in tears while speaking on Fox News @ Night on August 28. "Recently my good friend Sophia passed away in a tragic accident," she said. "But for the last seven weeks, I've been dealing with death, and it's so difficult."
The Olympian also reflected on the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, where two children were killed and 17 others wounded. "Here I am dealing with my grief, and I just can't even imagine parents who dropped their kid off at school and, like that father just said, 'I'll never get a chance to talk to him again.' That is just so horrible," Jenner said. "I've been dealing with grief, and these people have a long road ahead of them, and they're going to be dealing with grief also." She added, "My prayers and blessings are with the victims."
Jenner and Hutchins developed a close bond after meeting in 2015 through a makeup artist. Hutchins later appeared in Jenner's E! docuseries I Am Cait and credited Jenner's public transition as an inspiration for her own. By 2017, Hutchins had moved into Jenner's Malibu home and taken on the role of her manager.
Though the pair frequently sparked speculation about a romantic relationship, Hutchins clarified to The New York Times in 2019, "We were never romantically involved." She described their bond as professional and familial, saying Jenner was a guiding figure in her life. Jenner, for her part, once called Hutchins "one of the top minds in her field," adding, "Her value in my life is undeniable."
The two remained close until Hutchins' untimely passing, a loss Jenner continues to mourn deeply.
