Brenda Benet

Brenda Benet, best known for her roles as Lee Dumonde on the NBC Daytime Drama, Days of our Lives, committed suicide at the age of 36 in West Los Angeles, CA.

Benet was born as Brenda Ann Nelson and was the epitome of the classic Hollywood tragedy. Benet spent much of her childhood self-conscious because her complexion was darker than those of her siblings. She felt alienated from her family and often felt she had been adopted. Brenda attended UCLA for a time and majored in languages. She was fluent in French, Italian and Greek languages. She also competed in a Miss USA pageant and loved to dance. Benet built an impressive portfolio that included many roles on popular sitcoms. Her marriage to Bill Bixby resulted in a son, named Christopher. She and Bill divorced in 1979. However, Benet's most personal challenge occurred when her son Christopher died in 1981. While on a skiing vacation at Mammoth Lakes, California, he experienced a sudden illness and went into cardiac arrest after doctors attempted to insert a breathing tube. Benet was devastated by her son's death and sank into a severe depression. It is believed that her role as Lee Dumonde was partly to blame for her death. The character was not a popular one and as a result, she received many hate letters. During this time, she began dating Tammy Bruce. She and Tammy split two weeks before Brenda's suicide. On April 7, 1982, Brenda decided the pains in her life were too overwhelming and took her life. She died instantly.