Verne Troyer, the actor known for his work in the Austin Powers series as Mini-Me has tragically passed away today at the age of 49. The cause of death is still unknown at this time.
Troyer was born with achondroplasia dwarfism which caused him to only grow to 2 feet 8 inches tall, becoming one of the world’s shortest people. Luckily, Troyer succeeded in his profession as an actor, remaining a familiar face in Hollywood, with roles in Austin Powers, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and The Love Guru
According to TMZ, Troyer had been dealing with suicidal thoughts and alcoholism and was reported to the police from his friends and family.
Troyer’s official Facebook page posted this today:
It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that
Verne passed away today.
Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone
smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any
extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the
platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday.
He inspired people around the world with his drive, determination, and
attitude. On film & television sets, commercial shoots, at comic-con’s
& personal appearances, to his own YouTube videos, he was there to
show everyone what he was capable of doing. Even though his stature
was small and his parents often wondered if he’d be able to reach up
and open doors on his own in his life, he went on to open more doors
for himself and others than anyone could have imagined. He also
touched more peoples hearts than he will ever know.
Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. Over the
years he’s struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought
some more, but unfortunately this time was too much.
During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded
by his family. The family appreciates that they have this time to
grieve privately.
Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what
kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one
another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone
for help.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Verne’s
name to either of his two favorite charities; The Starkey Hearing
Foundation and Best Buddies.
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