Dana Carvey, 68, took to social media on Thursday to announce the tragic loss of his one of his sons, in a joint post with his wife, Paula Zwagerman. The announcement revealed that their son Dex, 32, passed away from an accidental drug overdose on Wednesday, November 15. “Last night we suffered a terrible tragedy,” the post read. “Our beloved son, Dex, died of an accidental drug overdose. He was 32 years old.”
The heartbreaking statement also shared Dex’s interests in life. “Dex packed a lot into those 32 years,” the post continued. “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.”
“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.”
The grief-stricken parents concluded the statement with a prayer for others who may also be struggling. “To anyone struggling with addiction or who loves someone struggling with addiction, you are in our hearts and prayers,” they concluded the November 16 tribute. “Dana & Paula.”
An hour after the initial post, the Saturday Night Live alum shared a snapshot of himself and Dex smiling and laughing. “Dex and me working together. What a joy,” he captioned the pic. Among those expressing their condolences in the comments thread was fellow comedian Jim Gaffigan. “What a great picture. Love the focus you are putting on telling us about Dex. Such a lovely tribute to your boy. Please tell us more,” he wrote.
According to PEOPLE, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Dex passed away at his home. The Wayne’s World star and Paula married in 1983. They welcomed Dex in 1991, and their second son, Thomas, was born in 1994.