The Real L Word star Francine Beppu tragic cause of death revealed after passing at 43

Officials from the Honolulu Medical Examiner's office have issued a cause of death for The Real L Word star Francine Beppu.

Beppu died February 17 as result of suicide via hanging in her Honolulu, Hawaii home, officials said in a report reviewed by TMZ.

Toxicology testing revealed that Beppu had alcohol and amphetamine in her system at her time of death, according to medical examiners.

Relatives of the late reality star said in a statement in February that they were 'deeply grateful to know how cherished she was and how brightly she will continue to shine.' 

Beppu's family said that 'the outpouring of care and concern from her friends and colleagues is a testament to the tremendous impact she had on everyone around her.'

The family said that they appreciated 'the many gestures of love for Francine,' and 'kindly asked for privacy and time' to 'navigate this unimaginable loss and honor her memory.' 

The tragic news comes after a number of people have left messages of condolences on the Instagram page of the late reality star in the months following her passing.

One user said, 'I still haven’t ... come to terms,' while another remarked, 'I miss her so much. She’s everywhere … sending you love.'

Another person said, 'You will be missed,' while one commenter remarked, 'Rest in love my friend! We will miss you dearly!'

Said one commenter: 'You brought so much happiness into this world and to everyone lucky enough to know you. Until we meet again…. I will miss you!'

Beppu was best known for starring on The Real L Word, which she joined when she was 28. The series ran for three seasons, from June 2010 until September 2012. 

The Showtime reality series followed the lives and romantic relationships of lesbians living in Los Angeles and New York City. 

Beppu's castmates included her ex-girlfriend, Claire Campbell Moseley, who joined the show for the second season when she moved to Los Angeles with Beppu. 

During the second season, Beppu's major storylines focused on her relationship with her mother and her tumultuous relationship with her ex, Moseley. Beppu left the show at the end of the second season.

Beppu said a childhood trip to New York City inspired her future plans, according to a June 2023 profile from Hawaii Business.

'I loved that energy and the lights, the musicals, the shows,' Beppu told the outlet.

She would go on to attend New York University and later work for Sony Electronics in New York City.

'Hawai'i is such a beautiful place and we are so blessed to live here, but I really wanted to live in a big city,' Beppu said.

Beppu also worked at Viacom, where she was involved in the establishment of Logo, the first-ever cable channel geared toward the LGBTQ+ community.

In the mid-2000s, Beppu worked for multiple companies as a consultant on digital strategies.

In 2015, she moved back to Hawaii and began working with the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation, eventually becoming the president of the organization. 

After attending the Honolulu Pride parade in 2015, she became a volunteer at the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation, before later becoming co-chair of the marketing committee and joining the board of directors. 

She also worked as the vice president of network strategy for NMG Network. According to her Instagram profile, she founded a public benefit corporation and golf club called Badliars Collective. 

Her latest social media posts were in late December when she said she had 'big announcements dropping soon' for her brand. 

Back in 2022, she shared her story about coming out to her family and friends for the Hawaii Herald's inaugural Pride issue. 

She recalled how she was closeted until she moved away from her hometown of Nu'uanu, Oahu, to attend college at New York University. 

Reflecting on her childhood, as the only child of her Sansei father and Japanese national mother, she said at the time: 'I didn't have anyone to really relate to.'

She later moved to Los Angeles in 2008 and was given the opportunity to join The Real L Word, a spinoff of Showtime's 2000 show The L Word. Beppu, who was one of the show's six cast members, came out to her mother on camera when she was 28.

'There were some tears but at the end of the day, my mom wants what's best for me,' she said. 'No, seriously, my parents are great. They've been very accepting. I'm really lucky to have them.' 

Beppu previously opened up about how her coming out story airing on television inspired other 'Asian closeted lesbians.'

'I didn't realize my coming out story would have such an impact on other people in the way that it did,' she said in a video interview with Sa'Ke Film Group for National Coming Out Day in November 2022. 

Beppu recalled how 'stressful' it was for her at the time, coming out to her family on camera. 

'I think that by having more of these conversations, it really shows a sense of community,' she said. 'We're all here for each other. We all support each other. At the end of the day, you have to live for your own happiness. The people around you, who still love you, will want you to be happy.' 

Beppu added: 'At the end of the day, we're all human. We go through the same emotions. 

'One difference: when you're LGBTQ, you have to "come out," and I don't think a lot of people know how difficult that is. So it's about continuing to have these stories be told, to help us all better understand and be there for each other.' 

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.