Walter Koenig announces Growing Pains star Andrew Koenig "took his own life" in Vancouver
By Craig Takeuchi
Amid the hoopla of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Vancouver Police Department held a press conference at 5 p.m. today at the Vancouver Police Mounted Squad stables in Stanley Park to address the discovery of a body found in the park around noon today.
His parents Walter and Judith made an emotional announcement that the body belonged to their son American actor 41-year-old Andrew Koenig, who was last seen by friends on February 14, and had been reported missing on February 18. His father said Andrew "took his own life".
The body was found by family and friends who had been conducting their own private search. 30 VPD members had also conducted a search of the park.
The Koenigs left after the announcement and did not participate in a question-and-answer period.
Constable Jana McGuiness said foul play was not a factor.
His parents also held a press conference yesterday (Wednesday, February 24) to ask for the public's help in locating Andrew.
They had been concerned about his emotional state, and he did not board a flight on February 16 schedule to leave Vancouver for Los Angeles.
Koenig had a history of depression and had not been taking anti-depressant medication for over a year.
His parents unexpectedly walked off an appearance on Larry King Live via satellite from Vancouver on Wednesday evening, reportedly due to feeling disrespected.
Koenig is best known for playing the role of Richard "Stabone" Boner, the best friend of Mike Seaver (played by Kirk Cameron), on the '80s sitcom Growing Pains. His father Walter Koenig played Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek series and later in the film versions.
For anyone concerned about feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, please contact the BC Crisis Centre for assistance. The Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia is devoted to helping people help themselves and others deal with crisis.
This is such sad news. I don't know how or why this news has upset me so much, but I just feel so terribly for his family and also sad that he felt his life couldn't continue despite the demons he was facing.
Also MTV adds some interesting facts:
Fans, media and authorities alike had all come together over the last week in search of Koenig, who vanished on Valentine's Day and then missed a flight home to Los Angeles two days later. Reports later leaked that Vancouver police classified the actor as being "despondent" upon his disappearance, that he had suffered from depression, and had mailed a letter to his father before vanishing that gave the family cause for concern. As friends and family feared the worst, his Hollywood peers, including Alyssa Milano, Kevin Smith, Alyson Hannigan and Sarah Silverman, all used Twitter to voice concern and ask for help locating the actor.
Joshua Andrew Koenig was born August 17, 1968, and worked as an actor, film director, editor and writer. He was best known for playing troublemaking teen Richard "Boner" Stabone on the ABC sitcom "Growing Pains," starring Kirk Cameron — who sent out his own desperate plea for Koenig's safe reappearance recently.
In the years since the hit sitcom went off the air, Koenig had a small role on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," voiced the Joker in a fan film called "Batman: Dead End" and wrote and directed the 2004 short film "Woman in a Green Dress." If the reports are true, Koenig's last professional work is believed to be alongside "Twilight" star Jackson Rathbone in the experimental indie film "DaZe: Vol. Too - NonSeNse."
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