Over the past few hours, many people who knew Verne Troyer well have reacted to the sad news of his passing.
As previously reported, Troyer died on Saturday at the age of 49.
The tragic development came mere days after many outlets also reported that Troyer had been hospitalized due to excessive drinking and what many believe had been a suicide attempt.
No cause of death had been revealed at the time of this writing.
Of all the tributes posted on Troyer’s honor, however, the most noteworthy and heartbreaking comes from Mike Myers.
The 54-year old co-starred with Troyer in the Austin Powers franchise, portraying Dr. Evil to Troyer’s Mini-Me. It was the role for which Troyer would forever be best known.
“Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him,” Myers said in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly on Saturday.
He added:
“It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed.
Troyer’s major acting break came in 1999 due to the role of Mini-Me in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
He reprised this role in the 2002 sequel, Austin Powers in Goldmember.
The actor had reportedly battled alcoholism for years and had checked into rehab on several occasions.
Alas, he never received the help he so badly needed.
Said Troyer’s family in a statement on Saturday afternoon:
“It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today. Verne was an extremely caring individual.
“He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible.”
On April 2, Troyer – who was born with achondroplasia dwarfism and listed at 2’8″ – was rushed to the hospital for a “reported poisoning.”
The Los Angeles City Fire Department confirmed to People Magazine that they were called to the actor’s North Hollywood home and that Troyer was “extremely upset, drunk and suicidal” at the scene.
We expect more to be revealed about his cause of death in the days ahead.
For now, a statement on Troyer’s Instagram page concludes as follows:
During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded by his family. The family appreciates that they have this time to grieve privately.
Depression and Suicide are very serious issues.
You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone for help.
Over the past few years, Troyer became known for his appearances in reality television.
The troubled actor had stints on Celebrity Juice, Celebrity Wife Swap, and The Surreal Life.
May he rest in peace.
