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25 Surprise Celebrity Deaths That Rocked Us All
April 7th, 2009 9:10am EDT Post a comment
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River Phoenix - Early morning Halloween 1996, an emergency call was placed from Hollywood club 'The Viper Room'. A 23 year-old man lie still after convulsing on the sidewalk in front of the club and the caller couldn't determine whether or not the victim was breathing. That caller was then 22 year-old Joaquin Phoenix; the victim, his movie star brother, River. Despite CPR on the scene and attempts to resuscitate at Cedars Sinai, River Phoenix - the rising star of films Stand by Me, My Own Private Idaho and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - was cut down by a fatal overdose of heroin and cocaine. Phoenix's death caused shockwaves: The young actor had a squeaky clean image that included social activism, spirituality and a Vegan diet. Friends later indicated that Phoenix struggled with depression. Despite this, the movie star, accomplished musician and songwriter seemed to have a handle on what was important to him. "It's not about career," Phoenix once remarked. "It's about caring and empathizing and wanting to create the best, the most true to life, the most real."


















