Monty Brinson, the first husband of reality TV star Kim Richards, died Sunday after a battle with lung cancer.
Brinson, 58, and Richards divorced in 1988 following a three-year marriage, but the 51-year-old “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member and her ex remained good friends.
“We have lost Monty Brinson after a brave battle with cancer,” Richards’ brother-in-law, Hilton & Hyland chairman Rick Hilton, wrote in an Instagram post.
“His heart was as big as the moon,” added Hilton, Paris Hilton’s father. “He was loved by all he met. He will be sorely missed. I love you always.”
After their divorce, the pair remained close as they shared custody of their daughter, Brooke, who was born in 1986.
Brinson came to Richards’s defense in April 2015 after she was sentenced to community service and probation after a shoplifting arrest.
“I would like to thank everyone who stood by her through this rough time,” Brinson wrote. “Remember everyone in life goes through a rough time one way or another. “
Before Richards and Brinson divorced, they co-produced the 1990 adventure movie,“Escape,” in which Richards had the lead role.
