Imogen Anthony has shared the devastating message she received from Australian PR guru Jai Evans before his tragic death.
The high-profile Sydney figure was found dead in his luxury 36th floor apartment in Darlinghurst’s Harry Seidler-designed Horizon complex last Wednesday.
The cause of Evans’ death in his $1400-per-week two-bedroom rental remains a mystery, although the NSW Police Force said it was not believed to be suspicious.
Following the tragic news, tributes have been flocking in for the celebrity publicist and Kyle Sandilands’ ex-girlfriend has now shared her devastation.
The Aussie model, 33, took to her Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of the very emotional message she had received from Evans before his tragic passing.
Proving himself to be a caring friend to Anthony, Evans had reached out to Anthony to make sure she was OK after seeing some concerning posts on social media.
The message read: ‘Hey honey. Its Jai. Just saw ur posts and wanted to check in on you and make sure you’re OK. Times can be tough but I will OK honey (sic).
‘I’m always here if you need me and have a spare room in the city if you need too xx Jai.’
Imogen Anthony has shared the devastating message she received from Australian PR guru Jai Evans before his tragic death
The high-profile Sydney publicist (pictured) was found dead in his luxury 36th floor apartment in Darlinghurst’s Harry Seidler-designed Horizon complex last Wednesday
The date of the message is not known but Anthony shared it to her social media on Friday, exactly one week after the news of Evans’ death was first made public.
She added some emotional words as she paid tribute, writing: ‘This shook me. I’m so sorry Jai… please rest in peace.’
Friends and colleagues have expressed their shock and sadness at Evans’ death, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the man they described as a ‘PR legend’ and ‘a true professional’.
Evan’s body was discovered last Wednesday in the ritzy unit he was renting in the Horizon complex in Darlinghurst.
A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed: ‘Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner regarding the death of a 43-year-old man at a unit in Darlinghurst on 4 September 2024.
‘Police will not be making any further comment about the matter.’
His cause of death is unknown, but police who attended the scene reportedly found there were ‘no apparent suspicious circumstances’.
When police say a death is not suspicious, this means they have found evidence that indicates there was no third party involved and no crime was committed.
Following his death, a source told Daily Mail Australia that Evans was distant in the weeks before his death, and friends and acquaintances said he would fall off the radar for days at a time, which was out of character for him.
‘Before he died, he was under the pump with a big client and needed to deliver for them. He was always under pressure,’ the insider said.
Kyle Sandilands’ ex-girlfriend has shared her devastation, taking to her Instagram Stories to share the very emotional message she had received from Evans before his tragic passing
Friends have expressed their sadness at Evans’ death, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the man they described as a ‘PR legend’ (he is pictured at his apartment)
‘He was distant in the weeks before his death. He’d fall off the radar, which wasn’t like him at all.’
Evans, a prominent figure in the city’s entertainment industry since the early 2000s, had appeared troubled and preoccupied at a final dinner with friends in Potts Point on August 22, around a fortnight before his death.
During that dinner, Evans – who has been fondly remembered for his ‘gift of the gab – remarked that he ‘needed a drink’ after having recently spoken of being sober.
Despite his years of experience and success, sources claimed he had been finding it increasingly difficult to secure new clients.
Evans reportedly complained to close friends that he was unhappy other publicists had been trying to ‘cut his grass’ and ‘steal his clients’.
Evans had more than two decades of experience and success in the public relations industry.
He founded his own business, Evans Media, in 2005, and worked with hundreds of media companies to help with their PR strategies.
Throughout his celebrated career, Jai held roles as an advertising manager, publicist, magazine publisher, editor and all-round public relations expert.
Evans helped many key players in Australian media, including Channel Nine, Sky News, News Limited, BRW and Vogue, achieve their marketing goals.
The talent expert also boasted a host of famous friends, including model Lara Worthington and e-commerce queen Anastasia Fai Kogan.
He also briefly had an acting career, appearing on Home and Away in 1997.
Evans’ (right) last public appearance was at a dinner in Potts Point, Sydney, on August 22 which he attended alongside several MAFS contestants, including Layton Mills (left)
Evans had been a prominent figure in Sydney’s celebrity entertainment industry since the early 2000s. He is pictured with Lara Worthington in 2005
Fellow publicist Roxy Jacenko, who rose to fame in the Sydney PR scene alongside Evans two decades ago, previously praised him as a ‘real networker’.
‘He was like me, one of a new wave of PRs,’ she said. ‘He always had the best-looking bevy of girls to bring to events [and was] always up to try something different.’
One of his last PR jobs was helping Married At First Sight’s Duncan James and Evelyn Ellis ‘hard launch’ their real-life relationship after being paired with other people on the Channel Nine dating show.
Earlier this year, he advised Pedestrian about some of the challenges the MAFS cast might experience after being plunged into the spotlight.
‘Navigating the social media landscape can be particularly tricky for controversial MAFS figures,’ Evans said.
‘This is because brands and businesses can be hesitant to deal with someone who appears to have compromised credibility.’
For confidential crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
