Soon after last weekend’s news of Anthony Bourdain‘s suicide, a friend sent me a 6.5 Daily Mail story about Asia Argento hanging the previous weekend with journalist Hugo Clement in Rome. There was a suggestion that Argento’s seeming infidelity might have acted as a “trigger” incident that affected Bourdain in a negative way. A People piece is suggesting something along these lines.

I immediately dismissed it. No semi-mature person, even one grappling with depression, offs themselves over this kind of thing. Bourdain seemed way too wise and seasoned to act like a broken-hearted teenager. Or maybe Bourdain and Argento had a fluid relationship that allowed for occasional dalliances with other people. Who knows?

Apparently some people have been talking about the Argento-Clement thing because a few hours ago Rose McGowan released an open letter about the Bourdain-Argento relationship — a letter intended to dissuade people from coming to the wrong conclusion.

“I write these truths because I have been asked to,” McGowan began. “I know so many around the world thought of Anthony Bourdain as a friend and when a friend dies, it hurts. Many of these people who lost their ‘friend’ are wanting to lash out and blame. You must not sink to that level. Suicide is a horrible choice, but it is that person’s choice.

“Anthony and Asia had a free relationship,” McGowan explained. “They loved without borders of traditional relationships, and they established the parameters of their relationship early on. Asia is a free bird, and so was Anthony. Was. Such a terrible word to write. I’ve heard from many that the past two years they were together were some of his happiest and that should give us all solace.

“When Anthony met Asia, it was instant chemistry. They laughed, they loved and he was her rock during the hardships of this last year. Anthony was open with his demons, he even wrote a book about them. And through a lot of this last year, Asia did want the pain to stop. But here’s the thing, over their time together, thankfully, she did the work to get help, so she could stay alive and live another day for her and her children.

“Anthony’s depression didn’t let him, he put down his armor, and that was very much his choice. His decision, not hers. His depression won.”