Charo's Husband, Kjell Rasten, Dead At 78

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Funeral services were pending Tuesday for Kjell Rasten, a producer and husband of 1970s entertainment icon Charo, who said her husband committed suicide in response to a deep depression fueled by a rare skin disease.

Rasten, 78, shot himself around midday Monday at the couple's home in the 1800 block of Lexington Road in Beverly Hills, authorities said.

"Yesterday, Kjell, my husband of 40 years and the love of my life, killed himself," Charo said Tuesday in a statement posted on her Instagram account. "There are no words to describe what we are feeling now. He was an amazing man, a great husband and the best father I could imagine to our son. He dedicated his life to loving and supporting his family.

"In recent years, his health began to decline and he developed a rare and horrible skin disease called Bullous Pemphigoid," according to Charo's statement. "He also became very depressed. That, along with the many medications he needed to take, became too much for him, and he ended his suffering.

"None of us had any idea this could happen to such a wonderful, kind and generous man. Please, if anyone you know and love is suffering from depression or illness, hold them close, tell them you love them will all your heart and that the world is better because they are in it. Get any help you can. Suicide is not the answer.

"Thank you all so much for your love and prayers and support," she wrote. "It helps me a lot. I love you all."

According to Beverly Hills police, Kjell was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center early Monday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Rasten and Charo, 68, married on August 11, 1978 in South Lake Tahoe, California. They have a son, Shel Rasten, an actor and producer.

Rasten soon became Charo's manager after they married. In June 2015, the couple appeared in an episode of Celebrity Wife Swap, where Charo swapped with former Love Boat costar Jill Whelan. Rasten was heavily featured in the episode along with Charo's sister Carmen.

City News Service contributed to this post; Image via YouTube screengrab