'Port Charles,' '90210' actor David Gail died of complications from drug intoxication
Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Port Charles and Beverly Hills, 90210 actor David Gail died of brain and heart complications related to drug intoxication, according to a statement released Friday by his mother, Mary Painter.
The official cause of death his death was anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which is a brain injury due to lack of blood flow.
Amphetamines, cocaine, ethanol and fentanyl were found in his system.
"It breaks my heart to learn that my son died this way," said Painter.
"David became reliant on medicine many years ago, after multiple surgeries on his hands and wrists. He lived in enough pain to prevent him from working for almost a decade, with relief only achieved through full disability, physical therapy and pain medicine," she added. "He struggled to stop taking pharmaceuticals and did before turning toward a more Eastern pain management including acupuncture and natural medicines. I can only assume that his former opioid dependence played a part in self-medicating from uncontrolled sources."
Gail was 58 when he died last month. His death was immediately investigated as a suspected drug overdose and no foul play was suspected, but an official cause was not determined until the toxicology tests came back this week.
