The recently concluded Everybody Loves Raymond 30th anniversary reunion special aired on CBS and featured the cast addressing the death of Sawyer Sweeten. The latter played Ray’s son, Geoffrey Barone. The heartfelt tribute highlighted both the loving bond of the cast and the bittersweet legacy of the beloved sitcom.
Everybody Loves Raymond cast talks about Sawyer Sweeten on Reunion special
Everybody Loves Raymond follows the daily lives of Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton), their three kids (Sawyer, Sullivan, and Madylin Sweeten), Ray’s brother Robert (Brad Garrett), and their parents Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle). During the 30th anniversary special, the cast members present remembered their beloved cast members who passed away, especially Sawyer Sweeten.
Sawyer’s identical twin, Sullivan, recalled his days on the sets, saying, “I’ve got plenty of good memories of playing tag in the bleachers and the prop room.” After this, Romano asked, “Can we talk about…,” and Madilyn quickly interrupted, saying, “Sawyer? Yes.” Sawyer, Sullivan and Madilyn, who played the kids Geoffrey, Michael, and Ally, respectively, were also real-life siblings. Sawyer died at the age of 19, in 2015, just a few weeks before his 20th birthday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His suicide came as a shock to his family and friends. Ray Romano told the New York Post in 2015 that Sawyer was a “wonderful and sweet kid to be around.”
“Just a great energy whenever he was there. My heart breaks for him, his family, and his friends during this very difficult time,” Romano added. During the special, Romano said, “So Sawyer, of course, is no longer with us, and we miss him.” Further addressing Madilyn and Sullivan, he said, “And he, just like you are, was this bright energy.” Sawyer’s twin brother then shared, “None of us really expected what happened. But I try to think about the good moments. And oftentimes, that’s here on the set.”
Furthermore, Madilyn went on to explain the importance of bringing up suicide prevention. Speaking of her family’s dedication towards suicide prevention, she shared, “And so many of the messages we get are people saying, ‘I’m so grateful to have heard about your brother. He saved my life.”
Originally reported by Elton Fernandes on Comingsoon.
