Everybody Loves Raymond stars reflect on death of real-life sibling and costar Sawyer Sweeten a decade after suicide

by

Madylin and Sullivan Sweeten, who played twins on Everybody Loves Raymond, recently shared their memories of their brother, Sawyer Sweeten, who sadly passed away by suicide ten years ago. They also costarred with him on the show.

Sawyer sadly died in April 2015, just a few weeks before he would have turned 20 years old.

Madilyn, age 34, and Sullivan, age 30, were featured on a special reunion episode of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ that aired Monday on CBS, celebrating the show’s 30th anniversary.

Madilyn and her twin brothers, Sawyer and Sullivan, played the roles of siblings Ally, Jeffrey, and Michael Barone in the sitcom that ran from 1996 to 2005.

Ray Romano, the star of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond,’ fondly remembered Sawyer during the special, saying he was a bright and energetic person, just like the current honoree. He also expressed how much they missed him.

Sullivan shared his feelings about the unexpected loss of his twin brother, explaining that he finds comfort in remembering happy times, especially those experienced while working on set.

Madilyn remembered her brother and spoke about how much he meant to people since he passed away.

She emphasized the importance of addressing suicide when discussing Sawyer, explaining that her family is deeply committed to prevention. Suicide is a leading cause of death for young adults aged 18 to 25, but she highlighted that treatment is effective for the vast majority – around 90% of those who seek help recover.

We often receive messages from people sharing how much they appreciate learning about my brother and how he helped them through a difficult time, even saying he saved their life.

Sawyer was visiting family in Texas at the time of his death in 2015. 

When the young star passed away, the cast and crew shared statements of remembrance, with the lead actor, Ray, being the first to publicly honor them.

Ray and Sawyer worked together for nine years, beginning when Sawyer was just a toddler at 16 months old, and Ray was deeply saddened to hear the news.

He described the boy as a wonderful and kind child, saying he always brought positive energy with him. He expressed his deep sadness for the boy, his family, and friends during this incredibly tough time.

I absolutely loved watching “The Barone Family” and I always enjoyed Sawyer’s work on it! He was in a whopping 139 episodes, playing the character Geoffrey Barone. It was so cool because his real-life twin brother played Geoffrey’s twin, Michael, on the show! And even more amazing, their older sister, Madylin, played their big sister, Ally. It really felt like a family dynamic, and they all did such a great job!

Madylin announced the news of her brother’s death in a statement on Thursday.

It is with a profoundly heavy heart that I share some incredibly sad news. This morning, we lost a member of our family, Sawyer Sweeten, who tragically took his own life. He was just weeks away from turning 20, and we are absolutely devastated by this loss. It’s a heartbreaking reminder that you never truly know what someone is going through, and that reaching out for help is so important. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.

Our family is going through a difficult time and respectfully asks for privacy. We encourage everyone to connect with their own loved ones.

I was so heartbroken to hear about Sawyer Sweeten’s passing. He was such a sweet kid, playing my grandson Geoffrey on ‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’ Doris Roberts, who played my daughter on the show and sadly is no longer with us either, shared a beautiful message on Facebook about how the news reached her and how much Sawyer meant to all of us. It happened at his family’s home in Texas, and it was just such a shock.

He was a kind and wonderful person, and we’ll all miss him very much. This is a reminder to tell the people you love how much they mean to you, and to reach out to those you haven’t spoken to in a while. Staying connected is so important.

Patricia Heaton, who played his mother on television, shared that Sawyer Sweeten was a very funny and intelligent young man who died much too young.

Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion is currently streaming on Paramount+. 

Read More

2025-11-26 01:04