Sawyer Sweeten was an American child actor famous for his role as Geoffrey Barone in the sitcom Everyone Loves Raymond (1996-2005)† Sadly, the boy took his own life when he was only 19 years old, leaving his fans and family heartbroken.
The boy then debuted in the hit CBS series alongside his identical twin brother Sullivan. He was only 16 months old when he started his career as an actor. In fact, Sawyer was a promising performer who eventually starred in other TV series such as Even Stevens, what not to wear, pioneers of television, and so on. Despite a successful career with possible Hollywood stardom in the future, the sudden death of the child devastated everyone.
Well, what was the reason behind his death? In this article below we find all the details about the actor Sawyer Sweeten surrounding his life, before and after his death. Stay with us until the end!
Sawyer Sweeten’s Early Details; Parents and age
He was born Sawyer Storm Sweeten in the year 1995. The actor would be 27 years old if he were alive today. Sweeten was born on May 12 in Austin, Texas, United States. In addition, he had US citizenship and belonged to a white ethnic background.
Child actor Sawyer was born to his parents; father Timothy Lynn Sweeten and mother Elizabeth Anne Gini. His father is a screenwriter and film producer while his mother is an actress.
Although his family previously lived in Texas, they later moved to California when he was six months old. Since then, the Sweeten family has lived in Los Angeles, California.
Sawyer Sweeten had six siblings, including a twin brother
Sawyer was not the only child in his family. He had a total of six siblings. Sweeten had an identical twin brother, Sullivan Sweeten, and an older sister, Madylin. They had worked together on the sitcom Everyone loves Raymond†
Sawyer Sweeten with his siblings; Sullivan Zoeten, Madylin Zoeten and Maysa Zoeten; ABC7 NewsLikewise, Sawyer also had a younger biological sister named Maysa Sweeten. Apart from this, he also had four other half siblings namely Guiliana, Elliette, Emma and Jaymeson.
Sawyer made his acting debut when he was one year old
Not many people know, but Sawyer Sweeten started acting when he was just a year old. He made his acting debut in 1996 when he appeared in the TV series Everybody Loves Raymond, where he played a character named Geoffrey Barone. He was part of the series from 1996 to 2005.
Apart from this, he has also appeared in other TV series such as What Not to Wear, Frank McKlusky, CI, Even Stevens and The Dr. Oz Show, among others.
What happened to Sawyer Sweeten?
Sawyer Sweeten left the world in April 2015 at the age of 19. From Radar Online, the actor was visiting relatives in Texas at the time. Finally, he went out on the porch and killed himself with a shot to the head.
According to his relatives and co-stars of Everyone loves Raymond, he had a very funny and exceptionally bright personality. No one ever thought he would commit suicide.
After the tragedy, his sister Madilyn urged through her social media that everyone wanted to reach out to those they love. she wrote,
“A terrible family tragedy happened this morning. We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, has committed suicide. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday… we beg you to reach out to those you love.”
What was the cause of Sawyer Sweeten’s death?
Although Sawyer committed suicide, his autopsy reports suggest he also used drugs before ending his life. The autopsy was performed by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.
According to sources, the toxicology report found marijuana or cannabinoid in Sawyer’s system. Likewise, Sweeten would also suffer from depression. However, his family and friends stated that he showed no specific symptoms.
On the other hand, his mother to PEOPLE† said he “said things that were delusional and didn’t make sense.” She added that Sawyer seemed “paranoid” and refused to sleep in his room.
Accordingly, the young actor suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a child. His relatives are also reportedly taking drugs for depression and other medical conditions.
Sawyer’s funeral was attended by more than 200 people
Sweeten’s closed after his death gathered after a week at a funeral home in Riverside, California. About 200 people attended the farewell, dressed in blue and green, as these were the star’s favorite colors.
Sawyer Sweeten with Everybody Loves Raymond CrewEveryone in the family did something they liked in his honor. Sawyer’s Aunt Ashley wore a shirt with a cat because he loved cats. Likewise, his sister Maysa referred to him as her brother, friend, her father and now her guardian angel. Likewise, his twin brother Sullivan dyed his hair blue, and his mother finally delivered a touching speech.
Elizabeth shared how lucky she was to have him from birth to date, how he made her heart dance and how dear he was to her.
Everyone Loves Raymond Family Tributed Sawyer Sweeten
Since Sawyer had been with the sitcom family since he was 16 months old, it wouldn’t be wrong if we say it was his second home. Everyone on set loved him and was shocked by the news of his sudden death.
The Sawyer family and his second family gathered at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, California. In memory of the child star, the two old theaters on the ground of the church were restored in memory of Sweeten. In addition, the upstairs theater was named “Sawyer’s Playhouse” with a plaque that read:
“May this place be a light for all to find safety and friendship through creativity.”
Sawyer’s Playhouse Plaque; PEOPLEThose who loved and appreciated Sawyer attended the ceremony in black shirts with the “Sawyer’s Crew” imprinted on them. His friends and family there expressed their feelings through songs and poems.
How is Sawyer’s family coping with his death?
Though time has passed since Sawyer left this world, his family still struggles with his loss. His mother told people,
“It is an intense, deep pain I experience attending my own son’s funeral. Never, never again will I experience pure joy.”
On the other hand, his younger sister Maysa suffers from insomnia and panic attacks. The star’s mother says she gets a lot of questions about Sweeten from his siblings and she tries to be as honest as possible when answering them.
His family keeps Sweeten in their memory and does their best to put the trauma behind them. They hold it together and fight to stay strong. Despite the grief, Gini tries to keep her other children happy and create new memories with them.
What is his net worth?
Despite the fact that the child star is not between us today, he will always be in our memory. He has done a great job in his career and also had a home in Riverside, California.
Sawyer Sweeten had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death. He has made this worthwhile of his promising acting profession.
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