Kyle Richards In 'Unbearable Pain' After Losing Childhood Best Friend Due To Depression

Kyle Richards is grieving the death of her childhood best friend Lorene Shea.

Richards, 53, who spent most of her life with Shea and had been best friends with her since they were 7, announced Saturday that Shea died on May 1 after a battle with mental illness. She was 52, Page Six reported.

The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star shared on Instagram throwback photos and videos of her with Shea. She accompanied them with a lengthy caption detailing the bond she had with her late friend and how the "system failed" her.

"I never imagined I would be posting something like this. This is my best friend Lorene, my best friend since I was 7 years old. My other half," Richards began her post. "We did everything together, from losing our baby teeth to having babies and everything in between and everything that followed."

The Bravo star went on to describe Shea as "kind, thoughtful, funny, smart, beautiful and sentimental." Richards said their tight bond never changed because they spoke every day and shared everything "happening in our lives" with each other.

"We would laugh until we cried, call each other out and be there for each other no matter what was going on in our lives," she continued.

Richards told her 3.8 million social media followers that "not that long ago," Shea had "started to suffer from debilitating depression."

"She had always been a happy person. How did this happen?" she wrote, adding that she and everyone who loved Shea "rallied around her and did everything that could be done to get her help."

"But the system is broken. The system made it impossible to get her the help she needed. This past Sunday, we lost Lorene. The system failed her! The system failed her loved ones who are now left in unbearable pain," Richards added. "I will do whatever it takes to try and help change the laws that are in place that prevent people from getting the help they need."

Richards ended her post by writing: "I love you, Lorene. Rest in peace. Please keep her and her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers."

Richards' half-sister and "RHOBH" co-star Kathy Hilton said she was "speechless" over Shea's death, adding that she loved her and remembered her as a "sweet, happy person."

"I know how lost you [feel] right now. Just know what a wonderful friend and sister you were to her and she will always be with you," Hilton wrote. "She will be your guardian angel. I love you so much, and it breaks my heart to watch suffer. All you can do is be there for children and family and pray."

Nicky Hilton, Kathy's daughter, also commented on the post with three white heart emojis to show her support for her aunt Kyle.

Several "Real Housewives" stars extended their support to Richards in the comments section.

"That is heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for you and her family," Garcelle Beauvais wrote.

"So sorry for your loss. Sending prayers to you and her family," Dina Manzo commented.

Cynthia Bailey, Melissa Gorga, Crystal Kung Minkoff and more also commented on Richards' post.

Last week, Ashley Judd and Wynonna Judd announced that they lost their mother, Naomi Judd, due to the "disease of mental illness" at the age of 76 on April 30. People reported, citing unnamed sources, that the country music legend died by suicide after years of battling life-threatening depression.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.