Kyle Richards Marks Best Friend Lorene's Posthumous Birthday

Kyle Richards has paid a moving tribute to her late friend, Lorene Shea, on what would have been her 54th birthday.

Longtime fans of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" might know that the reality star grew up attached to her best friend, who passed away in May of last year at 52 after a long battle with mental illness.

The two conserved a close friendship for almost five decades, and their bond grew stronger until Lorene's demise. To commemorate the 53rd posthumous birthday of her dear friend, the Bravolebrity, sent out a special tribute on Instagram.

The reality TV star and actress commemorated her best friend Lorene on what would have been her 54th birthday. As the two have known each other since they were children, it was only fitting that she trailed down memory lane to seek intimate pictures of the duo. 

The "Halloween Kills" actress posted a slideshow of different snaps from when they were little girls to being grown adults decades later. The hallmark of the adorable ten-frame post showed that all those times, the TV star and her late friend were having a lot of fun together. In the emotional caption, Richards wrote:

"Happy heavenly birthday Lorene ? So grateful for all the years we had together. I miss you every day ?." 

Many sympathizers rushed to the comment section to console and lift her spirits. One person wrote, "I think people underestimate the impact this would have had on your life over the past year. ?."

Another person shared, "I know you miss Lorene. She's your guardian Angel now. ? ♾️ ?.” "[True] friendship is the best thing in LIFE who has that is truly blessed.. ? ❤️[.] Love the photo gallery...what great memories…," a third added while someone else repeated, "[Happy] heavenly birthday ??."

With the same emotional enthusiasm, Richards previously remembered losing her dearest friend on her first death anniversary. Using the same medium, the "Pledge This!" actress shared a heartening message with lovely photos of the pair having wholesome moments. 

One, in particular, displayed the duo in their teen years. They sat with their knees clutched to their chests and smiled at the camera. Another swipe saw friends lying on what appeared to be a boat while wearing a bathing suit. 

The two were seen with families somewhere else, including Kyle's husband, Mauricio Umansky, on a mini boat. The pair attended a Bravo event in one post and wore matching hats and handbags in another. 

The accompanying caption did not skip a beat in conveying how much Richards loves and misses Lorene. She wrote: "One year without you & not a day goes by where I don't think of you and wish I could call you to share, to listen, to laugh … the best friend a girl could ask for. Love and miss you so much, Lorene ❤️." 

The TV personality recently shared the remarkable achievement of being one year sober with her fans. To share the good news, the author uploaded a radiant selfie of herself in a black armless top and brown cowboy hat.

The message below the image captured her undeniable sense of accomplishment. "Today marks one year alcohol-free for me," Richards wrote. "A number of things made me come to the conclusion that I didn't want to drink." The message continued:

"First and foremost, I didn't feel it had a place where I personally wanted to be. I listened to my heart, and the message was clear to me. I knew it was no longer serving me (no pun intended) physically, mentally, or spiritually. I never put a time frame on when I would drink again or say IF I ever would."

She pointed out how she felt "more clear mentally" and doesn't have "anxiety" about alcohol again. However, she noted that she was met with some "resistance" but wasn't one to succumb to "peer pressure."

Fans rallied to the comments to show their support. One fan shared, "We need more people advocating for living this healthy lifestyle. Thank you for being a light."

A second wrote: Congrats to you. I'm 20 days by choice to improve my health. I'm 20 pounds down so it's crazy to think what it's really doing to our bodies." Richards replied, "It's a game changer for our bodies."