River Phoenix’s family is honoring the late actor and musician on what would have been his 52nd birthday.
River Phoenix’s mother Arlyn “Heart” Phoenix took to her Instagram on Tuesday to pay tribute to her son.
“On August 23, 1970, at 12:03 PM in a little town called Madras in Oregon, I became a mother. 52 years ago I experienced a LOVE beyond all of my understanding which transformed my life and multiplied in and out of my being,” she wrote.
Continuing, she wrote, “During the past years since I have posted on Facebook, I have shared how deeply his life and passing affected me. He remains a guiding light on my pathway forward. When I am reminded of the lyrics to a song River wrote at 15, ‘RUN TO THE RESCUE WITH LOVE AND PEACE WILL FOLLOW’ I am ever grateful for this inspiration which is foundational to the work of The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding.”
The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding “is a mission-driven organization working toward prevention, intervention and healing from conflict and violence” for families, individuals, and communities, according to its website.
Happy birthday River 💙
— Rain Phoenix (@RainJPhoenix) August 23, 2022
‘I’m only as good as your friendship has made me…’#happybirthdayriverphoenix #brother #friend #immolate #river #3years pic.twitter.com/6AhU3jHAeg
River Phoenix sister Rain Phoenix also paid tribute to her brother on her Instagram writing, “Happy birthday River ‘I’m only as good as your friendship has made me…’.”
She also referenced a quote by poet Henry David Thoreau.
“On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend’s life also, in our own, to the world,” the quote reads.
River Phoenix died on October 31, 1993, from a drug overdose outside of a West Hollywood nightclub called the Viper Room, according to History. He was 23 years old. The Viper Room was once co-owned by actor Johnny Depp.
River Phoenix is also the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix.
Correction [8/24/22, 11:49 a.m. ET]: Previously, this story inaccurately labeled River Phoenix as the younger brother of Joaquin Phoenix. We have corrected the error.