55°
Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 27 from 3 to 7 p.m., at the Burnett & White Funeral Homes in Red Hook, NY. Following calling hours, all are invited to gather at The Early Terrible, in Woodstock, NY.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10:30 a.m., at the Good Shepherd Church in Rhinebeck, NY 12572. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed.
Ruehlemann was found unresponsive in the bathroom of his friend's Midtown apartment around 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, the Daily Mail reports citing the NYPD. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The model's 59-year-old father says his son battled an addiction to prescription pills for years, and while he's still waiting for the results from the toxicology tests, believes his son died of an accidental overdose.
"There was no desire to end his life, this was accidental," the elder Ruehlemann tells Daily Mail. "Obviously, he had some issues with drug addiction, but he was very happy. He loved life. He was very vibrant, a wonderful soul and a very giving guy."
A Mahwah native, Ruehlemann studied psychology at Rowan University, but within three years "made the life decision to pull up roots, go to Manhattan and throw his hat into the fashion world where he was a global success," his obituary reads.
"Jeremy was such a precious star, loved and cherished by his family. To know Jeremy wasn't just to love him, it was to be a little bit in love with him."
In an interview with GQ at 24 years old, Ruehlemann said modeling "isn't about being attractive," rather, playing a role.
“I like when people make me look different," he told the magazine. "Looking handsome is boring to me at this point in my modeling career, you know?”
Just days before his death, Ruehlemann posted a behinds the scenes look from a Tommy Hilfiger shoot on Instagram.
Ruehlemann modeled for GQ and Playhouse Magazine, and walked for top designers including Perry Ellis and Christian Siriano, who paid tribute to Ruehlemann in an Instagram post.
Click here for Ruehlmann's complete obituary.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hamilton Township and receive free news updates.
