Denise Richards is paying tribute to late friend and ex Patrick Muldoon on his heavenly birthday.
“This was our last hug saying goodbye….. if only I hugged you tighter and longer,” Richards, 55, wrote via Instagram on Monday, September 28, sharing a photo of the pair with their arms around each other outside an aircraft. “We had just gotten off our flight from Scotland .. a whirlwind weekend with our starship troopers family. I loved how excited you were to land at LAX and have fancy PS pick us up & drive us across the tarmac.”
She continued, “Always so humble..we hung out in the lounge waiting for luggage talking about what a fun weekend we all had, I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time… we talked about plans of getting together & gave each other a hug and that was the last time.”
Alongside the message, Richards shared a snap of Muldoon embracing her daughter Eloise, 15, and a black-and-white throwback photo of the pair. (Richards welcomed Eloise via adoption in 2011. She also shares daughters Sami, 22, and Lola, 21, with ex-husband Charlie Sheen.)
“Today is your birthday,” Richards’ post continued. “I know you know, how hard it is for all of us. It’s taken me all day to even post this. This is hard. I feel you and see all your signs. Well I’m sure not all because these big ones show up, I laugh out loud hearing you say ‘Schweetbabe how do you not see what I’ve been putting in front of you ?!? Now do you get it?’ 😂🤦🏼♀️.”
Richards noted that the pair were at the LA Comic Con one year prior with Eloise, who “wouldn’t leave” Muldoon’s side. Richards added that Muldoon had her youngest daughter “giggling all day.”
“She loved helping and watching you while you signed pictures and had everyone laughing. She was so happy being by you. She lit up today when I told her it’s your bday and when I reminded her of last year she started laughing thinking about you,” Richards wrote. “Wow… never did I think that would be your last birthday here that I would see you. I love you so much schweetbabe … more than my best friend, my family. I’m so thankful I still have your family. And not a day goes by that I don’t think about you.”
She continued, “I know you’re around I don’t quite know where, but you’re here. I am so beyond grateful that we had that weekend in Scotland with everyone and the time we got to spend talking for hours about life..what a blessing and gift you gave me🙏 Schweetbabe Happy Birthday🎂 as we would say… I miss you dearly & I dearly miss you Schweetbabe 😢💔💛💫 a little Pearl Jam for you …one of the many bands you would listen to💕.”
News broke in April that Muldoon died at 57 after suffering a heart attack. At the time, Richards shared a moving tribute reflecting on the pair’s relationship.
“This is so hard for me to put into words,” she began via Instagram. “I am deeply heartbroken & devastated losing you. You were my best friend & my family. We met in our first acting class, I was 19 never had an acting job and you were 21 a student at USC doing a recurring role on who’s the boss. And here we are. 36 years later. My whole adult life & I don’t know it without you.”
She continued, “The friendship, love, support, respect & loyalty we had was unconditional and rare. You lit up every room you walked into. You are larger than life & Everyone was drawn to you. So talented & most underrated actor. And most humble. Everything you did was infectious. Your laugh, your kindness, your wit, your strength, your loyalty, your passion, and your zest for life. We’ve been each other’s rock.”
Richards noted that the pair’s “memories together are endless,” adding that Muldoon “had [her] back and protected [her] more than anyone.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you here,” she wrote. “You’re my voice of reason & pillar of strength. Especially during this last year of pain & heartache. And now I need you more than ever, for this pain and heartache losing you. Schweetbabe we’ve had those conversations. We thought we’d live forever or at least into our 90’s. Schweetbabe I will be looking for those signs. I need to know you’re still here with me. I love you so much & miss you dearly schweetbabe. 💔🙏🪽.”
