"I wish i could give you the apology that you deserve"... so do it?

as someone has had to be the support for a friend in this situation, the worst thing that you can do it 'give them space' and ignore them. it's disrespectful to someone who has been there for you and who you have taken advantage of in your own difficult time. you owe it to the relationship to just be the bigger person and sort this out, it's probably going to be welcome, even if they reinforced a boundary with you. They were loyal enough to see you through something, i'm sure they'd be willing to listen.