River Phoenix's 1993 Death Spurs Sister's Death-Positive Advocacy

River Phoenix, a celebrated young actor known for films like "Stand By Me" and "My Own Private Idaho," died tragically at age 23 from a drug overdose outside The Viper Room nightclub in 1993. His death deeply impacted his family, particularly his sister Rain Phoenix, who has since developed a profound and open relationship with death, even training as a death doula to support others through the dying process. Rain reflects that initially shutting out the pain of his passing kept her from him, but over time, her curiosity about death and grief has grown, inspired by the death-positive movement. On the night of his death, River was accompanied by his siblings and girlfriend at the club, where he had performed with friends; following his collapse, his family tried to revive him before paramedics arrived. The Viper Room, co-owned by Johnny Depp at the time, became infamous as a site linked to Phoenix's overdose, symbolizing the darker side of Hollywood's drug culture. Meanwhile, River's brother Joaquin Phoenix has grappled with his brother's legacy and his own career, eventually achieving critical acclaim with an Oscar-winning role in "Joker," which is seen as a poignant connection to River's memory.