Dana Carvey is mourning the loss of his eldest child. The SNL legend revealed on Instagram that his son, comedian and actor Dex Carvey, “died of an accidental drug overdose” at 32 years old. In a joint statement with wife Paula Zwagerman, the two shared that “Dex packed a lot into those 32 years. He was extremely talented at so many things—music, art, film making, comedy—and pursued all of them passionately.”
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that Dex loved life,” they continued. “And when you were with him, you loved life too. He made everything fun. But most of all, he loved his family, his friends, and his girlfriend, Kaylee. Dex was a beautiful person. His handmade birthday cards are a treasure. We will miss him forever.”
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According to TMZ, law enforcement sources say that Dex passed away Wednesday night. His girlfriend called 9-1-1 around 10 p.m. in Los Angeles, and Dex was locked in a bathroom, where he was unresponsive when first responders came. After paramedics tried to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. While an autopsy has reportedly been done, a cause of death has yet to be determined due to pending toxicology reports.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Dex had been doing stand-up comedy over the past few years and even opened for his dad for his Netflix special, Straight White Male, in 2016. He is most known for Beyond the Comics, Carpool Pandering, and The Funster, as well as Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser. He appeared on an episode of Saturday Night Live in 2011, when the hosted alongside musical guests Linkin Park.
Prior to his death, he was also working on a Kickstarter for the B-Sides Comic, an original comic book series that draws influences from music, film, and street culture. As of now, the campaign has raised nearly $24,00 of a $3,098 goal. His Instagram, as of late, has been promoting the campaign, as well as Dana Carvey’s podcast, The Weird Place.
Dex Carvey is survived by his parents, his brother Thomas, and his girlfriend, Kaylee. Dana Carvey and Paula Zwagerman ended their Instagram message with continued prayers to those who may be struggling with addiction, saying, “To anyone struggling with addiction or who loves someone struggling with addiction, you are in our hearts and prayers.”
