Death of Male Model, Star of Gaga's 'Born This Way' Vid, Ruled an Accident

The 2018 death of male model Rick Genest, a.k.a. "Zombie Boy," has been ruled an accident, according to a Canadian coroner, the BBC reports.

Genest, who rose to fame after appearing in Lady Gaga's music video for her LGBTQ anthem "Born This Way," died from a severe head injury after he fell from a third-floor balcony in Montreal, Canada in August last year, the coroner's report says. He was 32 years old.

The report goes on to say he was "strongly intoxicated" by alcohol with almost three times the legal driving limit in his blood. There were also traces of cannabis, the BBC reports.

At the time of his death, it was reported Genest died of an apparent suicide.

Gaga took to Twitter at the time of his death, writing: "The suicide of friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring Mental Health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can't talk about it.

"If you're suffering, call a friend or family today," the "Joanne" singer added. "We must save each other."

She followed up that message with another tweet.

"Science tells us that it takes 21 days to form a habit, if you're suffering from [a] Mental Health issue I beckon for today to be your first day or a continuation of the work you've been doing," Gaga wrote. "Reach out if you're in pain, and if you know someone who is, reach out to them too."

She since deleted her tweets, however.

The BBC reports the coroner could not totally rule out suicide but she said Genest did not appear to be struggling with symptoms like psychosis at the time of his death. Despite seeking help for mental illness in the past, family members also reportedly said he was happy at the time of his death, having recently gotten engaged and working on a number of projects.

Genest's family members said he would sometime sit on balcony railings when he smoked a cigarette. The coroner said he appeared to fall from the balcony though there were no witnesses to the incident. Camera footage shows Genest on a balcony alone and appearing to put a cigarette in his mouth.

"Considering that habit and his very advanced state of inebriation, it is plausible that Mr. Genest accidentally fell from the balcony," her report states, according to the BBC.

Genest was also known for his massive tattoo collection, which covered his body. He worked as a model as well, working for French designer Thierry Mugler, becoming a face for Jay-Z's Rockaware label and appearing in Vogue Japan.

Revisit Gaga and Genest's "Born This Way" video below.