Lady Gaga took to Twitter on Thursday to mourn the loss of her friend, model Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy, who appeared in Gaga's "Born This Way" music video and has died of an apparent suicide.
In a multi-tweet reaction, the singer called the death "beyond devastating."
She also called for stronger efforts to bring mental-health issues to the forefront in order to "erase the stigma" of them.
"The suicide of friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring Mental Health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can't talk about it," Gaga wrote.
"If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other," the singer continued. In a subsequent tweet, Lady Gaga urged fans to reach out "if you're in pain, and if you know someone who is, reach out to them too."
The CBC reported Thursday that Genest, a Montreal-based model and artist, died at age 32 in Montreal's Plateau-Mont Royal borough on Wednesday evening. Citing Radio-Canada, the CBC said that police had classified Genest's death as a suicide.
Genest, who gained attention for his numerous tattoos — which included a skull and brain on his head — holds a Guinness World Record for most insect tattoos, with 176, and for most human bone tattoos, at 139, the CBC said.