On what would have been his 52nd birthday, River Phoenix’s lovers took a moment to reflect on the beloved late actor’s life.
Earlier this week, the actor’s mother, Arlyn “Heart” Phoenix, shared a photo of her with River on Instagram as she wrote some words from the heart.
“On August 23, 1970, at 12:03 a.m. in a small town called Madras in Oregon, I became a mother,” she captioned the black and white photo.
Arlyn, who is also the mother of Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, continues: “52 years ago I experienced a LOVE that was beyond my entire comprehension and that changed my life and multiplied in and out of my being.
“In the past few years since I posted on Facebook, I’ve shared how deeply his life and death affected me. He continues to be a guiding light on my way forward.”
“When I am reminded of the lyrics to a song River wrote at age 15, ‘RUN TO THE RESCUE WITH LOVE AND PEACE WILL FOLLOW’, I am always grateful for this inspiration that underlies The River’s work. Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding,” she added.
River’s younger sister, Rain Phoenix, also shared a tear-jerking tribute to the ‘My Own Private Idaho’ star on social media.
“Happy Birthday River,” she wrote alongside a photo of the late actor.
Quoting the lyrics to her song “Immolate,” Rain continued, “I’m only as good as your friendship made me…”
“When a friend dies, we must remember that fate, by trusting us, has entrusted us with the task of a double life, that henceforth we must also fulfill the promise of our friend’s life, in our own life, to the world.” , she added, crediting writer Henry David Thoreau for the quote.
At just 23, River died of a drug overdose outside Hollywood club The Viper Room in October 1993.