Taking a break
Following this tragedy, Phoenix felt as if he needed a break from life. Instead, he decided to take a break from acting, from Hollywood and from the public eye. Despite the family’s objections, Phoenix’s distressed phone call to 911 was somehow leaked to the press and repeatedly broadcast on T.V. and radio stations around the country.
Sensitive photos from his brother’s private funeral were also published by the media, and as a result, the Phoenix family decided to retreat from the public eye. River’s tragic death affected the entire family on different levels. His parents separated and his father moved back to South America, while his mother moved back to Florida – the place where they arrived a little over a decade ago, and where they had changed their name to Phoenix, hoping to get a fresh start.