New details have been revealed about Lizzie McGuire star Robert Carradine’s death.
A death certificate obtained by TMZ on Tuesday, March 10, indicated that Carradine died in a Los Angeles hospital. Carradine was cremated, with his ashes scattered at sea.
News broke in February that Carradine died after a battle with bipolar disorder.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” a statement from Carradine’s loved ones shared with Deadline read. “In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him.”
The message continued, “We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder,” they added. “We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”
Robert’s brother Keith Carradine told the outlet that the family wanted to highlight the actor’s “valiant struggle” with bipolar disorder.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he explained. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”
Less than one week later, the Los Angeles Deputy Medical Examiner listed Carradine’s official manner of death as suicide, per documents obtained by Us Weekly. The cause was listed as sequelae of anoxic brain injury. (The Brain Injury Association of America defines an anoxic brain injury as a type of acquired brain injury that occurs when cells in the brain do not receive enough oxygen.)
In the wake of his death, the cast of Lizzie McGuire remembered Robert — who was best known as playing Lizzie (Hilary Duff)’s dad, Sam McGuire, in the hit sitcom.
“This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend,” Duff, 38, shared via Instagram, alongside throwback photos of her and Carradine. “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him. ????.”
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