'Everybody Loves Raymond' 30th Anniversary Reunion... Tears of Remembrance for Late Sawyer Sweeten

Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle Remembered... "No Reboot as We Lost Precious Family"

The stars of the legendary sitcom 'Everybody Loves Raymond' that captivated audiences across the United States in the 1990s gathered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show. They shed tears in memory of child actor Sawyer Sweeten, who sadly passed away in 2015.

On November 24th (local time), CBS aired the '30th Anniversary Reunion Special'. The broadcast featured key cast members including Ray Romano (as Raymond), Patricia Heaton (as Debra), and Brad Garrett (as Robert), along with Sawyer Sweeten's real-life family, his twin brother Sullivan Sweeten and sister Madilyn Sweeten, who added significance to the event.

They shared memories from the nine seasons they spent together from 1996 to 2005, taking time to remember Sawyer, who left too soon. Sawyer Sweeten played 'Geoffrey', one of Raymond's twin sons, and was beloved by viewers.

Ray Romano, who played the father, expressed, "Sawyer is no longer with us, but we still miss him. He was truly a bright energy and a light like no other," mourning the late actor.

Sawyer's twin brother Sullivan opened up with a trembling voice, saying, "No one expected this to happen." He recalled, "But I try to remember only the good moments, and those precious moments were often here on set," evoking emotion from the audience.

Sister Madilyn Sweeten emphasized the importance of 'suicide prevention' to ensure her brother's death was not in vain. She stated, "Every time we talk about Sawyer, it is very important to discuss suicide prevention."

Madilyn cited specific statistics, explaining, "Suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 18 to 25, but 90% of those who seek help and receive proper treatment recover." She continued, "Many people have sent messages saying, 'Hearing your brother's story saved my life,' highlighting the need for ongoing awareness."

In fact, the Sweeten family is currently collaborating with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and continues to actively honor Sawyer by selling t-shirts each year, donating all proceeds. Sawyer Sweeten was born in May 1995 and tragically took his own life on April 23, 2015, just 19 days before his 20th birthday, leaving a significant impact.

Meanwhile, the special broadcast also paid tribute not only to Sawyer but also to Doris Roberts (who played mother Marie, who passed away in 2016) and Peter Boyle (who played father Frank, who passed away in 2006).

Ray Romano drew a line regarding the possibility of a sitcom reboot that has been suggested. He stated, "We will not reboot the show because we lost three precious family members. We cannot do it without them," expressing his firm stance.