Gary Coleman died Friday, days after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage, a rep for the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center confirmed to The Associated Press.
He was 42.
There really are no words. It’s just too sad. Coleman’s death comes at the end of a decades-long road of sorrow for the diminutive former child star we once lovingly called “Arnold.” He’d battled poor health and money woes, and struggled to find himself personally and professionally in the years since first finding fame on the ’80s TV hit Diff’rent Strokes.
His wife pulled life support in one day…Is that normal, guys? Look at Bret Michaels. According to doctors, he should have died weeks ago! I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but people have to have a little more faith. I just find this disturbing and very sad. Poor guy…
May Gary find the peace in death that often seemed to elude him in life.
According to the hospital rep, Gary’s wife of three years, Shannon Price, made the decision to remove him from life support today. Gary was surrounded by his family and friends when he was pronounced dead at 12:05 in Utah.
“Child actor Gary Coleman died at approximately 12:05 p.m. Mountain. Standard Time at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Family members and close friends were at his side when life support was terminated,” the rep said in a statement, adding that a press conference would take place later in the day.
On Wednesday, Gary was hospitalized with severe brain bleeding after falling in his surburban Utah home. Coleman suffered intracranial hemorrhage and had been slipping in and out of consciousness before taking a turn for the worse on Thursday.
Gary was no stranger to health woes. The actor was born with congenital kidney disease, which required frequent dialysis, and has undergone two kidney transplants. He suffered two seizures — one on the set of the TV newsmagazine The Insider – early in the year.
Todd Bridges remains the only suffering child star featured on the small screen hit Diff’rent Strokes — which aired from 1978-1986. Dana Plato, who played Kimberly on the series, died in 1999.