Image Source: WallpaperSafari, Youtube
Cameron Boyce, a Disney Channel personality, passed away on July 6th, 2019 after having an epileptic attack in his sleep. He was most recognized for his appearances in the Disney Channel show "Descendants" when he died at the age of 20. His passing away shook the entire world and everyone mourned the loss of the young actor.
A spokesperson on behalf of the Boyce family confirmed the news in a statement, "It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron. He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure, which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated. The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him. We are utterly heartbroken and ask for privacy during this immensely difficult time as we grieve the loss of our precious son and brother."
In 2020, in an emotional interview on "The Doctors", Victor and Libby Boyce shared the details about their son’s passing away along with raising awareness about SUDEP or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Victor said, "It was like all of a sudden I was in a cloud, like everything just went white. I'm just losing my mind in the parking lot. I tell my daughter. We're both screaming and crying. I still didn't believe it. There was no way this was true. It was just a nightmare. "
Libby, Cameron’s mother, mentioned that the actor first suffered his first seizure when he was 16 1/2. "It was in his sleep. It was a night when he had two friends sleeping over, and they witnessed it. After a year, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. He has only ever had five seizures in his life," she added. The father recalled, "He always had them in his sleep and the worst thing that would happen was he would bite his tongue and he would wake up with a headache."
His most recent film, an independent thriller directed by William Coakley called "Runt," is currently streaming on Netflix, and his admirers can watch him in his final and most surprising role. Cameron plays Cal, a high school senior who becomes the victim of harassment by his school's resident meathead bullies, according to sources. Cal becomes increasingly hardened as a result of the abuses he faces. When the jock locks Cal in a trunk and abuses the lady he likes, he retaliates by setting fire to the jock's car. But when the bully comes after Cal's pet puppy, Runt, Cal goes completely insane.
The late actor reportedly went method in preparation for "Runt," according to sources. Nicole Berger, who co-stars with Cameron in the film, believes that the film will help those who are bullied or have fractured family relationships, as Boyce's character was in the film. She adds, "It’s very easy to go down the wrong path, and it’s difficult to get out of it and get back up. So if you don’t have a support system and are in the same situation as these young people in the film, seek help, find a mentor and talk to someone. It’s hard, but it’s never too late."
Cameron’s father Victor said about his son’s last movie, "He put a lot of energy and effort into his role in this movie because it was really far away from what he'd done typically in the past, especially the Disney stuff. This was gritty, it was adult, it was hardcore. Some of it is hard to watch. It's like, ‘Wow, this is much, much deeper’". Libby adds, "Anybody who knows Cameron, you know how well he acts in it because it’s so different from him."
Nicole Elizabeth Berger, co-star of Cameron in Runt, says, "He was so visibly passionate and hard-working and had such a drive. That really resonated with me. I mean, he went method for this film. He didn't even let his parents come on sets." On talking about the movie, she says, "The film depicts how troubled youth resort to violence as a way to manage stress and anxiety, especially those who don't have the proper guidance. And I think the film does a good job of showing just how difficult it is to come back from that once you go down the wrong path. It's hard to turn back. So I hope it's a wake-up call to some people."
Aramis Knight, who plays Vic in the film, paid tribute to Boyce ahead of the TCL Chinese Theater premiere on September 22. "I think he's incredibly unique in this film," Knight added. "I'm hoping they see a side of Cameron they haven't seen before." Boyce's best friend and co-star on Disney Channel's "Jessie," Karan Brar, acknowledged the importance of the picture to Boyce. "As a best friend, I'm quite proud of him." Sarah Jefferey, who co-starred with Boyce in the "Descendants" franchise, said "Boyce was excited about the film's release. I recall hearing him mention that while we were filming 'Descendants.'" He was quite enthusiastic about it, which makes this a very emotional story.
A still from "Runt". Image Source: Twitter
Boyce was working to bring clean water to underdeveloped countries (through The Thirst Project) when he was only 18 years old, and he quickly aligned himself with causes to combat homelessness (United Way), raise awareness of sexual assault on college campuses (It's On Us), and assist families with sickle cell disease children (the Lucstrong Foundation).
Cameron's parents wish to keep and expand on their son's inspirational humanitarian activities. He was tremendously generous, according to Libby, and he wanted everyone to be more active in leveraging his platform to assist young people to find creative outlets that would keep them away from negativity and violence. In 2019, the Cameron Boyce Foundation was established to prevent gun violence curing epilepsy through digital campaigns, programmatic partnerships, and financial support. Within a few months, the family had expanded the foundation to include epilepsy research as well.
Cameron's father said, "It’s been a couple of years now and while we'll never be over it, we're moving forward with keeping his legacy alive and building the foundation and making sure that his work doesn't disappear, and in fact, will continue to grow. We’ve been surprised by how much growth we’ve had since The Cameron Boyce Foundation started. In two years, we’ve already funded a couple of major research grants for epilepsy, and we’ve raised over a million dollars. We’re partnering up with other organizations that Cameron loved and supported. "
The Cameron Boyce Foundation was established to prevent gun violence and curing epilepsy through digital campaigns. Image Source: The Cameron Boyce Foundation
"Everyone was devastated when Cameron died, and the entire community pulled together to support one other as best they could," Brar said.
"Right now, the focus is on fighting epilepsy, particularly SUDEP, and finding a cure. I believe the dialogue about epilepsy is lacking in subtlety, and we hope to change that." In recognition of their friendship, Karan Brar got a fresh tattoo. Karan's tattoo is virtually a carbon copy of the Polaroid snapshot of the two of them together, except it's in silhouette form. Since Cameron's death, Karan has utilized his social media channels to promote The Cameron Boyce Foundation, which aims to end gun violence, give clean water to those in need, and improve epilepsy awareness.
Cameron's face was given the ideal finishing touch: his famed freckles. The words "Your Partner in Crime, Cam" are scrawled beneath the Polaroid photo, along with a happy face in Cameron's handwriting. The Boyce screened Runt at the Mammoth Film Festival in February 2020, but the film's release was postponed due to the epidemic. The parents noted that seeing Cameron on-screen today is bittersweet.
Cameron Boyce, according to Adam Sandler, was a nice kid. Cameron Boyce, his Grown Ups co-star, was honored in his Netflix film "Hubie Halloween." The heartfelt dedication was included on a title card at the end of the movie saying, “In loving memory of Cameron Boyce. Gone way too soon and one of the kindest, coolest, funniest, and most talented kids we knew. You live on forever in our hearts and are truly missed every day.”
Adam Sandler's tribute to Cameron Boyce. Image Source: Deadline
The late actor’s father said, "It was a tough thing. "I say this all the time. It’s double-sided. I love to see him animated. I love to hear his voice because I don't hear it anymore. I loved seeing him do what he loved to do and what he was very good at. So that's always a joy to me, but the thing that makes it bitter is that I can't congratulate him. I can't hug him. I can't talk to him about the experience. I can't talk to him about how it's doing or what he wants to do next. So it's always going to be bittersweet. But I’d rather the movie come out and be seen and have people appreciate him than not."
Cameron Boyce is available for the audience to witness.
