Stars of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Madylin and Sullivan Sweeten, recently reminisced about their real-life and onscreen brother, Sawyer Sweeten, nearly ten years after his untimely passing.
Sawyer sadly took his own life in April 2015, just shy of his 20th birthday, leaving a profound impact on his family and fans.
Madylin, now 34, and Sullivan, 30, joined the 30th-anniversary reunion special of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which aired on CBS this Monday.
The Sweeten siblings, Madylin along with her twin brothers Sawyer and Sullivan, portrayed the Barone children—Ally, Jeffrey, and Michael—on the popular sitcom from 1996 until 2005.
During the special, their TV father, Ray Romano, paid tribute to Sawyer, expressing, “Sawyer, of course, is no longer with us, and we miss him. He, like you, brought a bright energy and light.”
Sullivan courageously addressed the loss of his twin brother, sharing, “None of us anticipated what happened. But I focus on the good times, often remembering our moments on set.”
Everybody Loves Raymond stars Madylin and Sullivan Sweeten reflected on the death of their real-life brother and costar Sawyer Sweeten a decade after his suicide (the three siblings are pictured in September 2005)
Madilyn, 34, and Sullivan, 30, appeared on the 30th anniversary reunion special for Everybody Loves Raymond which aired Monday on CBS (pictured clockwise from left: Brad Garrett, Ray Romano, Sullivan Sweeten, Patricia Heaton, Monica Horan, and Madylin Sweeten)
Older sister Madilyn reflected on her brother’s life as she talked about his impact since his tragic death.
She said: ‘I just think it’s so important in any conversation that we’re having about Sawyer. We’re very passionate in our family about suicide prevention. It is the second leading cause of death between the ages of 18 to 25. But 90 percent of people who seek treatment are cured.
‘So many of the messages that we get are people saying, ‘I’m so grateful to have heard about your brother. He saved my life.’
Sawyer was visiting family in Texas at the time of his death in 2015.
At the time, the cast and screw released statements about the young star’s death including lead star Ray who was the first to pay tribute.
Ray worked with Sawyer for nine years starting from when he was just a 16-month-old baby and said he was ‘terribly saddened, by the news’.
He added: ‘He 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.’
Sawyer appeared in 139 episodes of the popular US sitcom playing Geoffrey Barone, while his twin brother played Michael. Their older sister Madylin also played their older sibling on the show, Ally.
Their TV dad Ray Romano mentioned the young actor on the special as he said: ‘So Sawyer, of course, is no longer with us, and we miss him. He just, like you are, was just this bright energy, light’ (the cast is seen in September 1996)
Sullivan bravely spoke about his twin brother’s death as he said: ‘None of us really expected what happened. But I try to think about the good moments and often times that’s here on the set’ (the siblings are seen in LA in April 2010)
Older sister Madilyn reflected on her brother’s life as she talked about his impact since his tragic death as she said: ‘I just think it’s so important in any conversation that we’re having about Sawyer. We’re very passionate in our family about suicide prevention’
Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion is currently streaming on Paramount+ (the cast are seen in January 2005)
Madylin announced the news of her brother’s death in a statement on the day it happened.
‘This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred. We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his own life. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday,’ she said at the time.
‘At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love.’
Sawyer’s Raymond costar Doris Roberts – who has also since passed in April 2016 – paid tribute to him on Facebook, writing; ‘It is with great sadness that I learned the news that Sawyer Sweeten, who played my grandson Geoffrey Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, died at his family’s home in Texas.
‘He was a very sweet young man who will be dearly missed. Make sure your loved ones know how much you care about them, and please check in with them if you haven’t touched base with them for a while. It’s very important to keep in touch.’
Patricia Heaton, his television mother, wrote; ‘Sawyer Sweeten was a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon.’
Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion is currently streaming on Paramount+.
