Child star of Everybody Loves Raymond commits suicide at 19: Actor who played Ray Romano's twin son shoots himself dead
- Sawyer Sweeten shot himself while visiting family in Texas yesterday
- Played Geoffrey Barone on hit show alongside twin brother and older sister
- The show's star Ray Romano said he was 'shocked, and terribly saddened'
- His sister Madylin posted on Facebook: 'At this time I would like to encourage everyone to reach out to the ones you love'
A child actor who starred in the hit show Everybody Loves Raymond has died of an apparent suicide.
Sawyer Sweeten, 19, shot himself on the front porch of a house while visiting family in Texas yesterday.
Sawyer appeared in 139 episodes of the popular US sitcom and also took small parts in television shows Even Stevens and Frank McKlusky C.I alongside his twin brother Sullivan in the early 2000s.
Scroll down for videos
Pictured front left: Sawyer Sweeten stands alongside the Everybody Loves Raymond cast (L-R - Brad Garrett, Monica Horan, Madlyn Sweeten, Sawyer Sweeten, Sullivan Sweeten, Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle)
Shock death: Child star, Sawyer Sawyer, seen riding on a motorcycle last month, killed himself while visiting family in Texas yesterday
The teenager played Geoffrey Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, while his twin brother played Michael. Their older sister Madylin also played their older sibling on the show, Ally.
'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,' said Madylin in a statement.
'At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love.'
Everybody Loves Raymond star Ray Romano commented: 'I'm shocked, and terribly saddened, by the news about Sawyer.
'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.'
Sibling actors: Sawyer Sweeten is pictured, left, in 2010 alongside his sister Madylin and brother Sullivan who also both starred in the show
Grieving sister: Madylin Sweeten took to Facebook yesterday evening to comment on the tragedy
Sawyer's mother Elizabeth posted a photo on Facebook on Wednesday saying how much she loved her three oldest children.
She also shared a post on Facebook last Thursday that showed her and her oldest sons bowling with the family, and one on Easter of the extended family celebrating the holiday.
Sawyer's Raymond costar Doris Roberts 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 ran from 1996 - when the twin boys were just 16 months old - to 2005.
The child actor, centre, appeared on stage with the show's cast in 2010 to accept a gong at the 8th Annual TV Land Awards
Devastated family: Sawyer, left, Sullivan and Madilyn with their other sister Maysa (second from right)
Television mother: Patricia Heaton, who played Sawyer's mother Debra Barone on the hit show, wrote this message on Twitter
Based on the stand-up career of lead actor Ray Romano, the show, based on Long Island, was primarily about his strained relationship with his parents and his brother
The children, especially the twins, had smaller, cameo moments and in the beginning were too young to speak.
The series developed a loyal following in the US, and was shown by Channel 4 in the UK.
Sawyer and his brother hadn't acted since the show finished, though their sister did go on to appear in several films, including American Splendor and Eagle Eye.
She continues to act and lives in Los Angeles.
The three siblings last appeared together in public at the 8th Annual TV Land Awards in 2010.
They also have a younger sister Maysa, and four half-siblings; Emma, Guiliana, Elliette and Jaymeson.
Madylin wrote on Facebook Thursday evening; 'At this time I would like to encourage everyone to reach out to the ones you love. Let them have no doubt of what they mean to you.'
In March, Sawyer' mother's husband Jerry posted a photo to Facebook of Sawyer on a motorcycle, writing; 'Sawyer is riding around on a really kick ass 883 Iron!!! So proud that both my sons have done so well in learning how to ride!'
Sawyer (left) and his brother Sullivan started working on Raymond when they were just 16-months-old
Sawyer was born in Brownwood, Texas in 1995, and also had roles in the film Frank McKlusky, C.I. and the popular television show Even Stevens.
The cast of Everybody Loves Raymond was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series seven times by the Screen Actors Guild, winning the coveted Actor in 2003.
The show meanwhile won the Outstanding Comedy Series award at the Emmys in both 2003 and 2005.
Overall, it earned 69 Emmy nominations during its run, winning 15, mostly for acting.
Raymond starred Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton as Raymond and Debra Barone, a couple raising their three children in Long Island.
The other main players were Raymond's parents Marie and Frank, played by Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle, and his older brother Robert, played by Brad Garret, who lived together across the street.
Tragic: A photo taken last year shows Sawyer on a snowboarding trip with Sullivan and Madylin
Raymond won the Outstanding Comedy Series award at the Emmys in both 2003 and 2005
It was one of the most watched shows on the air during its ninth season, and the second most popular comedy behind NBC's Friends.
When asked if he had a fondest memory from his time on the show in 2010, Sawyer said; 'All my memories are fond.'
The show currently airs in syndication around the world.
• For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here
• For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here
- Russian army's rocket launch test goes terribly wrong
- Nurse yelps with joy as previously paralysed girl stands up
- Touching moment 102-year-old Alice Barker sees herself on...
- 'Not heroes, just tourists': Swedish cops stop subway...
- Kim Richards leaves hotel after explosive Dr Phil interview
- Pimple porn: Dermatologist becomes viral YouTube star
- Dramatic moment Alondra Luna Nunez is torn away from family
- How does my story end?: Bruce Jenner ponders the future
- Amy Schumer flashes her surfing scar on Letterman
- The moment comedienne Amy Schumer falls in front of Kimye
- Can you spot the ghost at Disneyland on CCTV? (related)
- Vampire girl spreads terror through victims veins in online...
- Child star of Everybody Loves Raymond commits suicide at 19:...
- Bride and ghoul: Ghostly figure photo bombs wedding...
- Treat a lady like a wh**e, and a wh**e like a lady': David...
- A hug from the executioner... then two gay men are stoned to...
- The female SS Auschwitz guard who trained Alsatian to bite...
- The horrifying moment 14-year-old girl was torn away from...
- Trial hears how Boston victim Martin Richard, 8, suffered...
- Is this the worst son in the world? Grinning teen uses...
- The latest Scandinavian crime-fighting export: Moment four...
- Great, five more mouths to feed! Cow in India gives birth to...
- 'My baby with Ariel Castro was an angel from my dead mom and...
- Five nursing students killed in fiery Georgia interstate...