Caroline Flack’s best friend Lou Teasdale was gifted a heartwrenching portrait of the late presenter for Valentine’s Day.
The celebrity hairdresser, 41, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday night to reveal the emotional present her boyfriend Andy Carroll got for her.
In a touching Valentine’s gesture, the footballer bought her a print of her late friend Caroline, which was created by acclaimed artists The Connor Brothers.
The artwork features half of Caroline’s profile alongside a red printed background and her poignant quote: ‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind.’
The signed print is available for purchase with the Yield Gallery for £1,250 and Lou was left overwhelmed after Andy bought it for her.
Sharing the picture to her Stories, Lou wrote: ‘Ty [thank you] to my Valentine [broken heart emoji].’
Caroline Flack’s best friend Lou Teasdale was gifted a heartwrenching portrait of the late presenter for Valentine’s Day
In a touching Valentine’s gesture, her boyfriend Andy Carroll bought her a print of her late friend Caroline, which was created by acclaimed artists The Connor Brothers
The artwork was created after Caroline visited The Connor Brothers’ studio to be photographed for a portrait she had commissioned, which would become her last photoshoot.
An online description explains: ‘Just over two years ago Caroline Flack came to our studio to be photographed for a portrait she wanted to commission.
‘She was a joy to work with, and her playful personality and appetite for life were infectious.
‘Like everyone else, we were entirely unaware at the time that this would be Caroline’s last photoshoot.
‘Although we only met Caroline once, she left a big impression on us with her warmth and humour, and we were devastated by the news of her untimely death.’
After her death, The Connor Brothers put the final portrait up for sale to raise money for leading suicide prevention charity CALM and NGO CHOOSE LOVE, who Caroline supported.
Caroline’s saying ‘Be Kind’, which went viral after she passed away, was incorporated into the artwork.
The Love Island presenter was found dead at her home in North East London on February 15, 2020, and her death was ruled a suicide in an inquest in August 2020.
Lou had been taking care of Caroline (both pictured in March 2014) and had popped out to the shops when the star had taken her life shortly after she left the property
Lou has been slowly rebuilding her life in the wake of her best friend’s death in February 2020 and has recently started dating footballer Andy (pictured)
Lou had been taking care of Caroline and had popped out to the shops when the star had taken her life shortly after she left the property.
When Lou could not regain access to Caroline’s home, she called her father Ian, who found her.
Last month, Lou shared a heartbreaking post about suicide in which she insisted that she did ‘her best’ to help Caroline amid her mental health struggles.
After setting up an Ask Me Anything on Instagram, a fan wrote to her: ‘If someone is intent on suicide, nothing will stop them. You did your best, dont 4get that [sic].’
Reflecting on her experience, Lou responded: ‘Suicide has affected my life a lot over the past 10 years. As it does for many many people. If it’s not you suffering personally it’s someone around you.
‘I am currently working with an amazing charity Body and Soul.
‘Since experiencing and doing my best to care for 2 separate close friends around me attempting suicide numerous times without getting the professional help they need before inevitably seeing it through, I identified that between what our NHS and private health sectors offer and mental health “helplines” that raise millions of ££ a month in fundraising, there is quite literally NOTHING that actually works with and helps people who are suicidal.
‘Body and Soul offer a one-of-a-kind 6 month support programme for individuals who attempt suicide and boast a 100% success rate with 0 reattempts from those who have been on their You Are Not Alone course.
The Love Island presenter (pictured in 2019) was found dead at her home in North East London on February 15, 2020, and her death was ruled a suicide in an inquest in August 2020
Last month, Lou shared a heartbreaking post about suicide in which she insisted that she did ‘her best’ to help Caroline amid her mental health struggles
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Caroline Flack's friends' bitter feud with her family: Accusations fly over 'blame' for her suicide
‘They also offer free online workshops for people close to those who attempt who are, like me, completely unqualified but on front-line supporting someone going through this. I always say suicide is contagious.
‘One suicide creates enough trauma around those involved there becomes a risk of further suicides without proper support.
‘After researching a lot of different initiatives this is the only one that has stood out to me that has REAL on-the-ground impact with the work they do.
‘Reach out to them if you feel you need some help right now, or give them a follow and donate if you can. [sic]’
As well as her post, Lou and her boyfriend Andy made a £1,000 donation to the charity’s You Are Not Alone programme.
The post came after a close friend of Lou’s told the Daily Mail’s Katie Hind of the anguish she feels over her fallout with Caroline’s mother Christine.
Last month, the Mail revealed that Christine is central to a new Disney+ documentary about Caroline, which will forensically detail her last 24 hours and try to give some answers as to why she died – and whether her life could have been saved.
One of the questions Christine has been desperately seeking answers to is why Lou and fellow friend Mollie Grosberg, left Caroline alone in her flat on the day she took her own life – with the Love Island star having made a previous suicide attempt the day before.
Caroline’s mother Christine is central to a new Disney+ documentary about Caroline, which will forensically detail her last 24 hours and try to give some answers as to why she died
Disney confirmed the film would include first hand testimony, among them Caroline’s family and friends, as Christine embarks on a journey to uncover the truth
Since the news of the documentary emerged, a close friend of Lou’s told the Mail it is ‘devastating’ that Christine is allegedly ‘blaming’ them after Caroline’s death.
‘They had been with Caroline for hours and hours and they tried to get her to go to hospital but she wouldn’t,’ they said.
‘They remained at her flat to make sure she was OK but they couldn’t stay there indefinitely, so they went.
‘It is devastating that they now have Caroline’s mother blaming them. Christine was once so close to Lou but not any more.
‘Caroline’s death has haunted her friends and changed their lives, and there is a view that she should be left to rest in peace.
‘But this documentary is going to drag everything up and, whether it intends to or not, runs the risk of laying blame in certain places.’
Lou has been slowly rebuilding her life in the wake of her best friend’s death in February 2020 and has recently started dating footballer Andy.
Andy and his TOWIE star wife Billi Mucklow, 36, confirmed their divorce in September after secretly separating earlier this year, having been together for 11 years.
He then went public with his new relationship with Lou at a Halloween party and Billi was said to have found out shortly before the news was made public.