Sophia Bush Stunning At White House Bash Despite Ex-Boyfriend’s Tragic Death In Nepal Earthquake Hours Before

Sophia Bush arrived at the White House Correspondence Dinner in a stunning teal Grecian gown with a sweeping train, just hours after she learned about the tragic death of her ex-boyfriend during the earthquake in Nepal yesterday. Although the 32-year-old actress made a brave appearance at the high-profile event, she described her ex-boyfriend as “one of the great loves of my life.”

The One Tree Hill star was glamorous in her silver pointed-toe pumps, a matching clutch, and dangling jewel earrings with a matching ring. The dark-haired beauty showcased a sweeping elegant updo. While her stunning appearance no doubt belied her shock and grief, she was able to get through the dinner without incident and was seen talking earnestly and hanging close to pal Connie Britton, who starred in the first season of American Horror Story.

Earlier in the day, Sophia lost ex-boyfriend and Google executive Dan Fredinburg, which whom she had remained close. His untimely death occurred when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, triggering an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing 18 climbers, one of which was Bush’s ex. Fredinburg died due to a devastating head injury during the earthquake, according to the Daily Mail. The overall death toll has exceeded 1,800 people and is still climbing as search and recovery efforts continue.

The pair parted ways amicably in February of 2014 for undisclosed reasons but remained close and fond of each other. The had dated for approximately one year, with numerous sightings of the pair first surfacing in April of 2013.

Before she bravely attended the event, Bush took to Instagram to share the intense loss she was experiencing.

“Today I find myself attempting to pick up the pieces of my heart that have broken into such tiny shards, I’ll likely never find them all.’

“Today I, and so many of my loved ones, lost an incredible friend. Dan Fredinburg was one-of-a-kind. Fearless. Funny. A dancing robot who liked to ride dinosaurs and chase the sun and envision a better future for the world.

“His brain knew how to build it. His heart was constantly evolving to push himself to make it so. He was one of my favorite human beings on Earth. He was one of the great loves of my life. He was one of my truest friends.

“He was an incredible brother, a brilliant engineer, and a damn good man. I’m devastated and simultaneously so deeply grateful to have known and loved him, and to have counted him as one of my tribe.

“I was so looking forward to our planned download of “all the things” when he got home. I am crushed that I will never hear that story.

“I am crushed knowing that there are over 1,000 people in Nepal suffering this exact feeling, knowing that they too will never hear another tale about an adventure lived from someone that they love…”

While Sophia was able to bravely get through the night, she was likely experiencing some of the effects of shock, which keep people numb but functioning after terrible news. There’s no doubt she will experience many more emotions in the days to come. Our deepest condolences to Sophia Bush and all victims and families of the Nepal earthquake.

[Photo via Getty Images]