"Losing him was unimaginably painful and traumatic": River Phoenix's sister reflects on late star’s accidental overdose and its impact on her life

Rain Phoenix, sister of the late American actor River Phoenix, recently reflected on her brother's death. On the anniversary of his death, River died on October 31, 1993- he was 23, Rain published an essay for Another Jane Pratt Thing. In the write-up, the American actress and singer explained how her brother’s passing changed her understanding of mortality.

“When I was 20, my brother River died. The experience of losing him was unimaginably painful and traumatic. Further compounded by the intense media coverage around his tragic death, which felt invasive and cruel.”

The 52-year-old musician, who is also the sister of Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix, wrote that she initially tried to shut out the tragedy but later stopped, realizing it kept her from remembering him.

“Now 32 years and many losses later, a deepening curiosity about death, grief and how we as a society process it, has come alive for me,” she added.

More details on River Phoenix's passing

River Phoenix died on October 31, 1993, after collapsing outside a Los Angeles club partly owned by Johnny Depp. River’s death was ruled a drug overdose by the coroner’s office. He was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

In an interview with Theo Van, Joaquin described his brother as a guiding light.

“He was kind of like the guiding light in some ways," he said. "He was the one who acted first. We used to sing on the streets and he played guitar and kind of like oversaw everybody.”

In 2023, River Phoenix’s mother described him in her 2023 tribute as the voice of the voiceless.

“From the first song he ever wrote at five years old seeing a kid being bullied ... He was a voice for the voiceless and had the courage to use his celebrity to make a difference.”

At the time of his death, River Phoenix was dating Martha Plimpton. In an interview on the Dinner’s on Me podcast, Martha described River as an innocent and love-driven individual.

“He was not as equipped, I think, as maybe some other people might be to handle that stuff [fame]. Because he was a very, at heart, very innocent and a driven-by-love human being. So the contradictions of Hollywood and show business were much more difficult for him. It was easier for me, because I grew up in New York and I was already a cynic by the time I was 13.”

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