The tragic death of River Phoenix: As his mother pays tribute on what would ... trends now
River Phoenix's death sent shockwaves through Hollywood, after the promising actor's career was suddenly cut short by a devastating overdose.
The actor's mother shared a moving tribute to her son on Thursday on what would have been his 53rd birthday.
In her post, Arlyn 'Heart' Phoenix wrote her son is 'still alive in her' despite his death, and described his birth as 'one of the most amazing days of her life.'
Famed for his acting talent and good looks, River's star had been on the rise before he died on October 31 1993, following a battle with drug addiction.
He famously collapsed outside Johnny Depp's nightclub Viper Room in Los Angeles after a drug overdose at the age of just 23.
Tragedy: River Phoenix's death sent shockwaves through Hollywood, after the promising actor's career was suddenly cut short by a devastating overdose
Sad: The actor's mother shared a moving tribute to her son on Thursday on what would have been his 53rd birthday (pictured together in 1988)
While pals knew that River had been using drugs, his death still came as a huge shock, especially after he'd stayed sober for two months while working on the film Dark Blood in Utah and New Mexico.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, River returned to using drugs and went on a 'massive' binge of cocaine and heroin, which culminated in his death outside Viper Room.
The venue became a hotspot for Hollywood names despite its dingy appearance, with stars able to let their hair down away from prying eyes, but its title was forever tarnished in the wake of River's death.
On the night of his death, a bouncer had escorted Phoenix outside the nightclub — where he suddenly collapsed dropped to the ground.
River's girlfriend, the actress Samantha Mathis, and his younger brother, actor Joaquin Phoenix, were among those present at the time of his death.
While his loved ones quickly dialled 911, it was too late to save him.
Mathis previously told The Guardian: 'I knew something was wrong [the night that River died], something I didn’t understand.
'I didn’t see anyone doing drugs but he was high in a way that made me feel uncomfortable — I was in way over my head. Forty-five minutes later, he was dead.'
Sad: River famously collapsed outside Johnny Depp's nightclub Viper Room in Los Angeles after a drug overdose at the age of just 23
Sad death: The venue became a hotspot for Hollywood names despite its dingy appearance, with stars able to let their hair down away from prying eyes
Lauded: During the late River's 11-year acting career (which spanned from 1982-1993), he starred in numerous films, including Stand By Me
The 2018 interview with The Guardian marked the first time that Mathis publicly spoke out about her then-boyfriend's passing. The couple, who worked together on the film The Thing Called Love, had been together for a year until River's untimely death on Halloween 1993.
Prior to his relationship with Mathis, River was previously in a relationship from February
