LOS ANGELES -- Toronto-born former child star Corey Haim, 38, died Wednesday morning after collapsing in front of his mom at her apartment near Universal Studios.
According to reports, Haim was rushed to the Providence St. Joseph Hospital in nearby Burbank, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m. from an accidental drug overdose.
An autopsy will be conducted by the Los Angeles County Coroner to determine the cause of death.
Haim's mom Judy also told Radar Online that her late son was living with her and taking care of her as she battled cancer.
“I am a cancer victim and Corey was helping me at home,” the grieving mother said. “He was a good boy. I’m devastated by his death.”
Longtime friend and co-star Corey Feldman immediately wept after family members broke the news to him Wednesday morning.
In a statement released on his official blog, the 38-year-old Feldman said he was mourning the loss of a "wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul who will always be my brother, family, and best friend.
"I was awakened at 8:30 this morning by my brother and sister knocking on my bedroom door," Feldman wrote in his statement. "They informed me of the loss of my brother Corey Haim. My eyes werenąt even open all the way when the tears started streaming down my face."
Known as the Two Coreys, Feldman and Haim rose to worldwide fame as 1980s teen heartthrobs, co-starring in The Lost Boys, License To Drive, and Dream A Little Dream. For years it was almost impossible to see a copy of 16 or Bop without either of their faces on the cover.
Then, in what has become an all too common refrain for child actors in Hollywood, the two pals grew up only to see their mega-star status evaporate. Gone were the boyish baby faces that had endeared them to young girls the world over. The two Coreys' lives went from headline to punchline.
In recent years though, Feldman had straightened out and got married. Haim, however, remained single and continued to struggle with drugs.
Their contrasting adult lives were pitted against each other in the short-lived A&E reality series The Two Coreys. Drama was to hopefully ensue, but viewers didn't pay much attention. The show was canceled before the end of its second season.
"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," Feldman wrote.
"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," Feldman said.
His words echoed the message from Star Trek star Walter Koenig last month after his son Andrew Koenig, another former child actor, was found dead in Vancouver's Stanley Park from suicide.
Feldman asked for privacy.
"Please respect our families as we struggle and grieve through this difficult time," he wrote.
Feldman, who also lost close friend Michael Jackson last year, has also said over the years that he can barely watch arguably his own greatest film, Stand By Me, because of the 1993 death of another friend and former co-star, River Phoenix.
For now, Feldman said the best possible tribute to another late friend is his body of work.
"I hope the art Corey has left behind will be remembered as the passion of that for which he truly lived."
brett.clarkson@sunmedia.ca
