Ray Romano is among several celebrities mourning the untimely passing of his Everybody Loves Raymond son, Sawyer Sweeten. Sweeten, 19, played Geoffrey Barone on the hit TV series that ended in 2005. His twin brother, Sullivan Sweeten, played the role of Geoffrey’s twin brother Michael, and their older sister Ally Barone was played by their real-life older sister, Madylin Sweeten.
Madylin Sweeten confirmed her brother’s death in a statement to Us Weekly.
“This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred,” she said. “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. At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love.”
Ray Romano has yet to publicly acknowledge Sawyer Sweeten’s death, but his Everybody Loves Raymond wife Patricia Heaton, as well as Doris Roberts–the Barone family matriarch–shared their shock and their grief via social media.
Sawyer Sweeten was a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon.
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) April 24, 2015
The entire cast of #EverybodyLovesRaymond is in shock. Prayers for the Sweeten family.
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) April 24, 2015
It is with great sadness that I learned the news that Sawyer Sweeten, who played my grandson Geoffrey Barone on '…
Posted by Doris Roberts on Thursday, April 23, 2015
Sawyer Sweeren’s manager confirmed the young actor’s passing on Thursday night.
“With a broken heart it is true that he passed away,” the statement read.
Ray Romano, as well as the rest of the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond, is no doubt in shock over the suicide of this young actor.
In addition to Everybody Loves Raymond, Sweeten also appeared on Disney’s Even Stevens. Ray Romano last appeared on NBC’s hit series, Parenthood.
