Corey Haim dies of apparent accidental overdose.
Corey Haim relaxes at the Drake Hotel in this July 2008 photo.
File photo/BRENT LEWIN
Corey Haim was quite aware his long history of drug addiction cost him, by all accounts, a booming movie career after shooting to fame in the 1980s.
Now that addiction may have cost the former Leslie Street and Cummer Avenue resident his life.
The 38 year old was found unresponsive in the early hours of Wednesday, March 10 at his mother's southern California apartment.
According to media reports, Haim was transported to Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank and was pronounced dead just after 2 a.m.
Reports indicate he died from an apparent accidental overdose. His mother was with him at the time.
At the time of his death, Haim had been suffering from flu-like symptoms and had been taking over-the-counter and prescription medication. Four bottles of prescription medication were found in the apartment.
The former teen idol, who rose to fame in the '80s with such movies as License to Drive and The Lost Boys, was virtually absent from the spotlight during the 1990s to deal with highly publicized drug abuse addictions but recently returned to the public eye in recent years with a television show and several movies in the works.
Haim started acting at age nine in the television series The Edison Twins. He then made the jump to film in 1984 with Firstborn starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr.
After the release of several movies in the mid '80s, Haim got his big break when Lucas was released in 1986, followed by cult classic The Lost Boys one year later.
It was during filming of The Lost Boys where he met Corey Feldman, and the two went on to star in some seven movies together, eventually collaborating on their television show The Two Coreys, which aired on A&E in 2007 and 2008.
But Haim's reign in Hollywood was short lived as he battled substance abuse and repeated stints in rehab. His 1989 the film Dream a Little Dream was his last theatrically released movie and with the exception of several direct to video films, the actor remained off the radar for most of the 1990s.
Haim, who appeared in Crank 2: High Voltage and American Sunset last year, sat down with The Mirror in July 2008 at The Drake Hotel while promoting his latest movie at the time, Shark City.
Then sober for about a year, Haim said he was fully aware how lucky he was to be back in front of an audience.
"Two per cent of people get a second chance in life," he said, smiling. "I got a second chance. Today I'm not going to blow it but I have to take it day by day. People are believing in me again because I am believing in myself again. I'm confident again. Today I'm in a great place."
The Two Coreys followed the lives of Haim and Feldman, who were inseparable as youngsters but a rift in recent years put the friendship into question, with Feldman stating in 2008 he didn't wish to speak with Haim unless he sobered up.
"I will not talk to Corey Feldman right now," Haim told The Mirror at the time. "I wish his family well and I will always love him but this one is a big break. He's slammed me one too many times. He hasn't been a good friend to me."
However, paparazzi videotaped Haim with Feldman just last month. Both men appeared to be in good spirits.
In a statement released Wednesday, Feldman expressed grief at the loss of his "brother, family, and best friend."
"I was awakened at 8:30 this morning by my brother and sister knocking on my bedroom door," Feldman said. "They informed me of the loss of my brother Corey Haim. My eyes weren't even open all the way when the tears started streaming down my face. I am so sorry for Corey, his mother Judy, his family, my family, all of our fans, and of course my son who I will have to find a way to explain this to when he gets home from school. This is a tragic loss of a wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul, who will always be my brother, family, and best friend. We must all take this as a lesson in how we treat the people we share this world with while they are still here to make a difference. Please respect our families as we struggle and grieve through this difficult time. I hope the art Corey has left behind will be remembered as the passion of that for which he truly lived."