Caitlyn Jenner broke her silence after her manager and friend Sophia Hutchins died at age 29 following an ATV accident.
Jenner, 75, was spotted for the first time since the fatal accident in Malibu, telling the Daily Mail that she was experiencing “tough times” while reportedly looking somber, according to the outlet. In pictures obtained by the outlet, Jenner hid her face via a pair of dark glasses and a blue visor.
She later told the outlet that she did “not want to talk” about the accident that claimed her friend’s life.
News broke on Thursday, July 3, that Hutchins died following a fatal incident that occurred near Jenner’s home. She was pronounced dead at the scene after her ATV struck the bumper of a moving car and forced Hutchins 350 feet into a ravine.
Hutchins was a consistent presence in Jenner’s life after they met in 2015 amid the Olympian’s transition. Hutchins subsequently appeared in multiple episodes of Jenner’s E! reality series I Am Cait and went on to become CEO and director of the Caitlyn Jenner Foundation.
Celebrity Deaths of 2025: Stars We’ve Lost
“We met through our hairstylists,” Hutchins said on Heather McDonald‘s podcast “Juicy Scoop” in 2020. “He was doing my hair one day and was like, ‘I’m going to a photo shoot after this, something with Caitlyn and MAC. And Caitlyn would like to meet you.’”
Hutchins recalled the introduction paving the way for a collaboration, adding, “[I] went to the photo shoot. We kicked it off. I learned a lot about what was going on in Caitlyn’s life and I felt it was a financial s*** show, and so much money was being thrown everywhere. Nobody was running the show, her life. Kris [Jenner] was not doing it anymore since they were divorced, and I felt like I could do a really good job.”
Hutchins and Jenner went on to spend a lot of time together.
“We have so much in common; we see the world so similarly and we both are such a good match for each because we challenge each other,” Hutchins said of their relationship during a 2018 episode of The Hidden Truth With Jim Breslo. “She challenges me in so many ways, has allowed me to grow in so many ways and I hope I challenge her to grow, and I think because we share so many of the same passions and views, it’s just a great match, a great partnership.”
Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time
Over the years, Hutchins and Jenner’s close bond has sparked speculation that they were in a romantic relationship. Hutchins shut down the rumors in 2021, writing via Instagram, “Love the whole LGBT community but so tired of rumors that I am romantically with Caitlyn. I am only ever with men and only ever have been. Stop the rumors! It’s been years.”
Hutchins clarified in a statement that she and Jenner had a “parental, familial relationship.”
“I don’t want controversy. I am just trying to live my life. Caitlyn is a parent to me. I have said that a million times,” she noted at the time. “It is a parental, familial relationship. I feel so blessed and humbled to be a part of such an amazing family and that she treats me like a daughter.”
Hutchins continued: “I feel blessed that we are able to work together. There’s no hanky panky. I feel like I’ve been saying that for the past five years.”
