The family of “Beverly Hills 90210” star David Gail revealed his death was caused by a lack of blood to his brain after resuscitation was attempted during a drug overdose.
The family released a statement through Gail’s publicist, saying his official cause of death was anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a brain injury resulting from lack of blood, following resuscitation from cardio pulmonary arrest due to drug intoxication. Substances including fentanyl, ethanol, amphetamines and cocaine were found in his system, they said, People reported Sunday.
Gail died Jan. 16 at the age of 58.
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“It breaks my heart to learn that my son died this way,” his mother, Mary Painter, said in the statement.
“David became reliant on medicine many years ago, after multiple surgeries on his hands and wrists. He lived in enough pain to prevent him from working for almost a decade, with relief only achieved through full disability, physical therapy and pain medicine,” she said, according to People.
“He struggled to stop taking pharmaceuticals and did before turning toward a more Eastern pain management including acupuncture and natural medicines,” she said.
“I can only assume that his former opioid dependence played a part in self-medicating from uncontrolled sources.”
Painter tried to raise awareness to the dangers of pharmaceutical addiction, as well as the fentanyl epidemic.
“David’s death shines a light on the countless innocent victims of pharmaceutical addiction and the fentanyl epidemic that has taken so many of our sons and daughters,” she wrote in her statement.
“Please keep David, and others battling pain or dependence, in your thoughts and prayers.”
The famous actor began his acting career in the early 1990s, with roles in prominent shows, including “Growing Pains,” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” according to People. He is best known for acting alongside Shannen Doherty in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” as her character’s brother, Stuart Carson. (RELATED: Porn Star Kagney Linn Karter Dead By Apparent Suicide At Age 36)
He also starred as Dr. Joe Scanlon in well over 200 episodes of “Port Charles,” according to People.