Sam Amico
Late actor River Phoenix would have turned 52-year-old this week, and some members of his famous family paid homage.
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His mother, Arlyn “Heart” Phoenix, not surprisingly sent perhaps the most heartfelt message.
“On August 23, 1970, at 12:03 PM in a little town called Madras in Oregon, I became a mother,” she wrote, next to a throwback picture of her with River. “52 years ago I experienced a LOVE beyond all of my understanding which transformed my life and multiplied in and out of my being. During the past years since I have posted on Facebook, I have shared how deeply his life and passing affected me. He remains a guiding light on my pathway forward. When I am reminded of the lyrics to a song River wrote at 15, ‘RUN TO THE RESCUE WITH LOVE AND PEACE WILL FOLLOW’, I am ever grateful for this inspiration which is foundational to the work of The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding!”
A Heartfelt Tribute
River was 23 when he died of a drug overdose outside Johnny Depp’s Viper Room Club in West Hollywood on Oct. 31, 1993. He was with brother Joaquin Phoenix, who placed a distressful call to .911.
River starred in the classic Stand By Me (1986), based on a book by Stephen King, as well as Running on Empty (1988) and My Own Private Idaho (1991). His final appearance was a movie called Dark Blood, which was completed nearly 20 years after his death.
Sister Rain Phoenix also posted a tribute to Instagram, showing a picture of River.
“Happy birthday River,” she wrote with a heart emoji, before quoting Henry David Thoreau.
“‘I’m only as good as your friendship has made me,'” Rain wrote, quoting Thoreau. “‘On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend’s life also, in our own, to the world.'”
Happy Birthday River
Family tributes to River are nothing new. Joaquin quoted his brother at the 2020 Oscars after receiving the Best Actor award for his role in Joker.
“I’ve been a scoundrel all my life. I’ve been selfish. I’ve been cruel at times, hard to work with, and I’m grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance,” Joaquin said. “And I think that’s when we’re at our best, when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other towards redemption. That is the best of humanity.
“When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric. He said, ‘Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.’ “
