| Show Ledgers Ledger's death is r ruled led an accidental overdose Paul Lieberman Los Angeles Times Heath Ledger died of an accidental abuse of of- prescription medications the New York City Medical Examiners Examiner's Office said Wednesday in releasing the results of toxicology tests performed on tissue taken from the actors actor's body two weeks ago Some type of overdose had been suspected as the cause of death since a masseuse found the 28 year-old year Australian stars star's unconscious body in his Soho loft Jan 22 with sleeping pills near his bed and other prescription drugs around the square foot apartment The lab tests were conducted after an autopsy the next day proved inconclusive Mr Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of hydro co do n e diazepam and the medical examiners examiner's spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a written statement We hav S' S Concluded that the manner o j a ident id re t u l from the abuse of bf prescription medications The list of generic names refer to drugs more commonly known wn as the painkillers and the anxiety anti-anxiety medications Valium and and the sleeping pill while Unisom is isan isan isan an antihistamine c commonly used as a sleeping leeping aid New York police reported at the time of death that Ledger was found to be unresponsive after he failed to answer knocks on his door and phone cell-phone calls from the masseuse Diana A police spokesman said that although the sleeping pills and other prescription drugs were found at the scene there was no sign ign of foul play and Ledger left no note The actor had rented the luxury loft following his split last September from actress Michelle Williams with whom he had lived in Brooklyn along with their infant daughter Although a call to was delayed while the panicked masseuse tried to revive Ledger herself and used the actors actor's phone to call actress Mary-Kate Mary Olsen in California authorities have said they do not believe he could have been saved had an emergency crew immediately appeared Almost immediately after the release of the medical examiners examiner's findings Wednesday Ledgers Ledger's father Kim issued an emotional statement urging others to use prescription drugs with caution and appealing again for privacy for the actors actor's family We remain humble as parents and a family among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a achild achild achild child said the statement released through a Los Angeles publicist Few can understand the hollow wrenching and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them Today's results put an end to speculation but our sons son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts hearts' r i v r While no medications ns were taken in excess s we learned today the combination of doctor- doctor prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy Heaths Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication even at low dosage it added Our family enjoyed an an n extremely happy week two-week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year Those recent precious days will stay with us forever We as asa asa asa a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise To those who knew him personally Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography music chess and directing We knew Heath as a loving father as our devoted son and as a loyal and generous brother and friend I We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda to our dear Michelle as well as asan asan asan an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends forever around the world Families rarely experience the uplifting warm wann and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we from every corner of the planet This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives We are eternally grateful At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately without the intrusions associated with press and photography Medical experts also warned of the dangers of mixing prescription drugs All the medications listed are narcotic painkillers or orare orare orare are used as tranquilizers anxiety anti-anxiety drugs or sleeping medications Those medications can have havea a synergistic effect and can reduce the breathing rate to bring on death said Richard A. A Rawson a professor of psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles and associate director of its Integrated edS p. p l is e ePro e. e Pro Programs gram r For someone taking medication for sleep and pain on a regular basis it itis itis itis is possible to take talce them and to become intoxicated he said in a telephone interview Those drugs are very widely used prescribed and considered to have havea a relatively goop safety profile But if you take enough of them taken in combination with opiates you can get an overdose death In this case someone had legitimate prescriptions and simply made an error in dosing himself a tragic error Ledger had made no secret of his use of prescription drugs to help him manage a life that was stressful and hectic for all his fame He had just gotten back from London where he was filming Terry Gilliams Gilliam's The of Doctor Parnassus and recently finished his work on The Dark Knight the new Batman film opening July 18 which has him following in the screen on-screen footsteps of Jack Nicholson as the Joker It was a difficult and physical role for Ledger who told The New York Times in November that he was haying having trouble sleeping as he was finishing the shoot Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night he said at the time I couldn't stop thinking My body was exhausted and my mind was still going He described taking two sleeping pills and falling into a stupor then i awaking hour later That same month in a r videotaped junket interview w v with The Envelope the Los Angeles Times' Times awards- awards show Web site Ledger was clearly slurring and unfocused as he discussed his role roie in Im Not There a film in which a series of actors actors portray Bob Dylan J In ISAr a a. a 2005 Times Times w Ledger noted that his- his art came from a place of discomfort I like to do something I fear I like to set up obstacles es and defeat them I like to be afraid r of the project I always I am When I get cast in In a something I always believe I shouldn't have been cast 00 I fooled them again I cant can't do doit it I dont don't know how to do 1 1 it Theres There's a huge amount of A I Il anxiety that drowns out any excitement I have toward f the project t I t Following the autopsy on his body Jan 23 Borakove the spokeswoman for the city medical examiner said it would take 1 10 0 days to toJ J two weeks for the results of toxicology and tissue tests d' d y to determine what killed the actor who won wide j i j- j acclaim for his portrayal of a gay cowboy in Broke back Mountain II The Th e masseuse an and d I Ledgers Ledger's housekeeper Teresa Solomon who also 1 was in the Broome Street loft when Ledgers Ledger's body A Awas was discovered were both Jt questioned by police but have not been accused of I 1 wrong wrongdoing d Since Ledgers Ledger's death memorial services have I been held in New York and T 1 Los Angeles His body was flown to his hometown of j J Perth Australia for burial in a family plot j 1 Williams issued sued her first public comment on the death last Friday saying j that part of Ledgers Ledger's legacy I j would be their year old I daughter Matilda the i j i I v most tender-hearted tender high- high I r spirited beautiful little girl j who is the spitting image i J of her father All that I can cans j s cling to is his presence j 1 1 inside her that reveals itself i every day Williams said in ya y a statement r I I 1 i I i I II I 4 |
