Saying goodbye
During the last days of October 1993, two days after Joaquin’s 19th birthday, he accompanied his older brother and sister River and Rain to a notorious Hollywood nightclub – the Viper Room, to hang out with some of their friends. River was feeling ill, leaving the nightclub early, and outside on the curb, he suddenly collapsed on the street due to a mix of illegal substances.
Rain was trying to resuscitate her brother, while Joaquin nervously called 911, shouting, “please get to him! Please! Please,” repeatedly. Their attempts were of no use, and sadly, the oldest of the Phoenix siblings passed away that night, in a Hollywood, at the age of 23.