Bärbel Schäfer recalls ex‑partner Kay Degenhard’s fatal traffic accident

German television presenter Bärbel Schäfer, born and raised in Bremen, revealed that her former partner, magazine and portrait photographer Kay Degenhard, died in a severe traffic accident in September 1998. While traveling from Hamburg to Berlin, Degenhard’s car collided with a loader at the Wittstock autobahn interchange, killing him instantly; his companion later succumbed to injuries.

Schäfer described the loss as a sudden plunge “from heaven into hell,” noting that the tragedy profoundly shaped her lifelong commitment to grief advocacy. She now works with the Bremen‑based charity Trauerland, supporting those coping with loss. The episode preceded further family deaths that reinforced her dedication to the cause.