Aaron Phypers is making a desperate plea to his estranged wife Denise Richards’ family and friends, claiming she is in need of an immediate intervention.
“This is the hardest letter I’ve ever had to write. I just [got] some of my contacts back, after being without my cell phone since the 4th of July,” a copy of the letter reads in part. Us Weekly can exclusively confirm that it was sent via text and email to the pair’s “family and close friends” around 10:00 am on Sunday, July 20.
“This is a frantic cry to help a loved one,” a source close to the couple told Us on Sunday. “It is all about Denise now.”
Us reached out to a representatives for Phypers for comment. Reps for Richards did not responds to calls for comment.
“I’m reaching out today not in anger, but in heartbreak — as a man, a husband, a son, a brother, and a father who has spent years loving, supporting, and protecting his family,” Phypers’ letter continued. “I love my wife more than words can ever fully express. That has never changed. But the recent public accusations made against me are not only false — they are devastating. I have never, ever physically harmed my wife, and I did not give her a black eye. I have only ever stepped in to protect her or others — including separating her from physically attacking our daughter — always coming from a place of care and concern.”
Denise Richards Accuses Ex Aaron of Threatening to Kill Her Before Split
After Phypers filed for divorce on July 7, Richards alleged in court documents obtained by Us that her estranged husband was physically and verbally abusive.
“Throughout our relationship, Aaron would frequently violently choke me, violently squeeze my head with both hands, tightly squeeze my arms, violently slap me in my face and head, aggressively slam my head into the bathroom towel rack, threaten to kill me, hold me down with his knee on my back to the point where I would have to plead with him to get off me so that he would not kill me and hack into my laptop and phone and download all of my text messages,” she alleged in the documents.
“Aaron regularly threatened to ‘break my jaw’ and would cry, beg me to stay, and promise to get help — none of which ever happened,” she continued to allege.
Phypers addressed his estranged wife’s allegations in the letter, saying that the “effects” have “reached beyond me.”
“My elderly parents (ages 83 and 84), and my brother — who have devoted themselves to caring for our daughter Eloise and Denise’s animals and supporting our family without pay for over three years — are now being targeted and publicly shamed,” he alleged. “They live in unbearable conditions: no hot water, no gas, no air conditioning in 100+ degree heat, and no financial support to buy basic supplies. Yet they continue to serve with love and loyalty.”
Phypers went on to accuse Richards of being “involved in an ongoing affair,” claiming that he “confronted her” about the alleged relationship “earlier this year.”
“She begged me not to leave, saying it was nothing and that she only loved me,” he continued in the letter. “Then, she denied it all – even the explicit messages I found. Despite her promise to stop, more lies and shocking evidence emerged.”
Phypers went on to allege that the issues between the pair didn’t just constitute a “relationship breaking down,” but were instead a “cry for help.”
Denise Richards and Estranged Husband Aaron Phypers’ Relationship Timeline
“I say this with love, not judgment: Denise needs intervention,” he claimed. “Some of you know this has been an issue for over 20 years. She’s no longer eating real meals, and I’ve witnessed her pass out from substances — putting herself and others in danger, including while driving with our daughter.”
Phypers alleged in the letter that he never wanted the contents to be shared “publicly,” but further claimed that the “damage is no longer just within our home”
“It’s hurting everyone who loves her, supports her, and continues to believe in the best parts of her,” he wrote.
“I ask each of you — from a place of love and truth — to pray for Denise. To pray for healing, for clarity, and for her to get the help she so desperately needs. And to protect our family — especially my elderly parents — from the false narratives being spread,” he continued. “I remain open to reconciliation, healing, and truth. But I cannot stand by in silence as the people I love are being harmed — publicly and privately — while the truth is buried beneath a story that simply isn’t real.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
