David Spade's Tribute To His Sister-In-Law Kate Spade Emphasizes Her Unforgettable Personality

Comedian David Spade has opened up on social media about the death of his sister-in-law Kate Spade. The fashion designer reportedly died by suicide on June 5, and David paid tribute to Kate Spade publicly through his Instagram and Twitter on Tuesday night. As CNN reported, Kate was married to David's brother, Andy Spade, since 1994, and the couple started her handbag brand Kate Spade New York together. And with her tragic death, the former Saturday Night Live star expressed some of the emotions he's feeling about losing his sister-in-law.

Later on Tuesday, David posted on both Instagram and Twitter about Kate. On Instagram, he wrote:

"Fuzzy picture but i love it. Kate and I during Christmas family photos. We had so much fun that day. She was so sharp and quick on her feet. She could make me laugh so hard. I still cant believe it. Its a rough world out there people, try to hang on."

As a whole, Kate's family released the following statement to the New York Times: "We are all devastated by today's tragedy. We loved Kate dearly and will miss her terribly. We would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time." The fashion designer was 55, and is survived by a 13-year-old daughter.

On Twitter, David praised Kate's wit again and echoed the same sentiment of how it's a "rough world." Along with a photo of them together, he wrote,

"Katy at my book signing. I love this pic of her. So pretty. I dont think everyone knew how f*cking funny she was... Its a rough world out there people. Try to hang on."

Despite their shared last name, many people hadn't realized there was any relation between David and Kate. (Us Weekly also noted that Kate was the aunt of actor Rachel Brosnahan from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.) As Fast Company reported in 2005, Kate met David's brother Andy when they both were attending Arizona State University. Kate, known by her birth name of Kate Brosnahan at the time, moved to New York City after graduating and Andy followed her there in 1988. Andy encouraged her to start her own company of accessories and when they launched her line in 1993, they named it Kate Spade even though they weren't married yet.

In an interview with NPR in 2018, Andy said about his personal and professional relationship with Kate, "We kind of grew up together, you know ... from our 20s up until now in our 50s. And we actually have a lot in common, which helps."

David went on The Howard Stern Show in 2015 and discussed how close he is with his brother and how they get along. (David also spoke of their other brother, who Us Weekly reported is named Bryan.) "Growing up, I was always at least getting attention because he was cool. We were skateboarding together, but everyone liked him," Spade said about Andy. "He was always way ahead of the game. And then there was a window when I got on SNL where I was actually doing a little better and getter cooler for about a year and a half. Then they started Kate Spade and they blew by me on a rocket ship."

"I love having family around," David added. "Love [that] Andy's around. He's a smart f*cking guy. He knows his sh*t. And Katy's really, really smart and good — and she's hilarious."

People reported that some of David's celebrity friends responded to his posts about Kate's passing. On Instagram, Jessica Alba wrote, "I'm so sorry David." And fellow Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon wrote, "My deepest sympathy to you David. I never got to meet Kate but I was a giant fan of her work."

While David gave some insight into his relationship with Kate through his posts, the Spade family still deserves the privacy they asked for at this time.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. You can find more resources about suicide prevention at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.