Australian model Annalise Braakensiek found dead in Sydney apartment

Model Annalise Braakensiek has been found dead. Photo / Getty Images

Australian model Annalise Braakensiek was found dead in her Sydney apartment on Sunday afternoon.

Police and ambulance crews attended her Potts Point apartment around 3.30pm after friends and family became concerned about her whereabouts.

Close friends have told news.com.au the jewellery creator, lingerie designer and health guru hadn't been heard from for a few days.

Police rescue and ambulance attended the apartment where they found Ms Braakensiek, 45, deceased.

There were no suspicious circumstances, police said, and they will prepare a report for the coroner.

The Australian model split from her stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg in April after 16 years together. At the time, in a deleted Instagram post, she wrote: "I don't know if a broken heart mends or learns to live in pieces".

She had bought the Potts Point apartment in November last year following the separation. When she bought the Victoria Rd property, she talked about plans to decorate in her signature style.

At the time she told the Sun-Herald she was focusing on her work and her pet cat Frankie and "moving forward with her life".

View this post on Instagram

The answer is blowing in the wind...... Hanging in there by the hair on my chiny chin chin.... 😜 Sheesh it’s been a challenging year for so many of us, am I right?!?! My biggest challenge was not having my own home (for a year now)!!!!?!! As you know I L❤️VE to cook organic meat free @annalisewithlovelunch creations and I can not wait to get back into my own kitchen again in just a few weeks!!! 🚀 🌿 🌶 I am uber grateful for all the legends who have taken me under their wings this past year, and into their hearts and homes @gina_b21 and family especially. 🙏🏼💙 The rest you know who you are. I love you. Beyond. Including my bestie in heaven. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t think about you 😓 I don’t know what I’d do without you all 🙏🏼 And I promise as soon as I move into my new abode I’ll be back to cooking, sharing my new jewellery designs and being a general all round mega Vikingess! 💪 🦄🌈 In the meantime for all of you who have asked....as of next Wednesday I will be able to fulfill my signature jewellery design orders again!!!!!! #yay!!!! Just in time for Christmas 🎄 DM me re new designs not yet shown or up on my site and check out my jewellery gallery at link in bio and use my F&F code “mylovelies” for 25% discount .... sharing the love 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 And love the team who shot this campaign and can’t wait to shoot my new collection soon! 🙌🌈 📷 my talented sister @beccafitzgerald_photo Cruelty free @ereperezcosmetics 💄 by the magical @the_travelling_artist Hair: @originalmineral natural colour styled by the insanely fab @yadgiahair Brows by the best: @parlourb Vegan facial by the amazing @dermaglow_medi_spa and styled by the most divine and talented @stephmalizisstylist for @cmstylists . .magical day your way my lovelies 🙌💫🌙✨⚡️🔥 . . #annalisebraakensiek #jewellery #designer #jewelry #model #vegetarian #cook #jewellerydesigner #boholuxe #bohostyle #ecofriendly #handmade #madewithlove #mydesigns #lovelunch #2018 #bringon2019 #wegotthis #love #strength #support

A post shared by Annalise Braakensiek (@annalisewithlove) on Dec 4, 2018 at 10:38am PST

In December, she wrote on Instagram of the "challenging year" and talked of her biggest challenge of "not having my own home".

The high-profile model had fought a public battle with depression for years and was an ambassador for RUOK? Day in 2017.

At the time, she said in an interview with The Daily Edition: "It was the … negative reaction people had to me being depressed and falling under the dark cloud."

She went on: "In many ways my life is wonderful, for which I'm extremely grateful and there's no doubting that, but when you're suffering these kinds of things for people to say how dare you — you're a model, you're a millionaire, you're round the world.

"That's got nothing to do with this."

Ms Braakensiek was a fixture of the Bondi community and was a strong proponent of healthy living - so much so that she was still very much in demand as a swimsuit model after nearly 30 years in the business.

A close friend of Ms Braakensiek, Adriana Dib, who spoke to her in the days before her death said she had seemed "upbeat".

"I spoke to Annalise on Wednesday night and I thought she sounded okay," Ms Dib told news.com.au.

"I wasn't worried at all. We discussed the new year and all the wonderful things we would get to conquer and achieve.

"To find out today that she's gone is so devastating, I feel out of body.

"She brought so much magical love to everyone she knew.

"My life was better for having had her in it. We were kindred. I felt very lucky. The world has lost a genuine beacon of beautiful light."

Friends began to worry, however, when Ms Braakensiek - who Ms Dib said was never one not to return a text, message or phone call - did not respond to messages and calls from Thursday onwards.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.

OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 or 09 5222 999 within Auckland (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 ,free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nzor online chat.
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757
• SAMARITANS – 0800 726 666.