‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Cast Opens Up About Sawyer Sweeten’s Suicide: ‘We Miss Him’

The cast of “Everybody Loves Raymond” reunited for the show’s 30th anniversary special on CBS, which also streams on Paramount+, and took a moment to remember their late co-star Sawyer Sweeten. Sweeten, who played one of the Barone children alongside his real-life siblings Sullivan and Madylin Sweeten, passed away by suicide in 2015.

During the reunion, the surviving cast members shared fond memories of working together. Sullivan Sweeten, Sawyer’s identical twin, recalled the fun times on set. “I’ve got plenty of good memories of playing tag in the bleachers and the prop room,” he said. He added, “And he, just like you are, was this bright energy.”

Sullivan spoke about focusing on the happy moments they shared. “But, I try to think about the good moments. And oftentimes, that’s here on the set,” he explained.

Madylin Sweeten highlighted the importance of speaking openly about mental health and prevention. “We’re very passionate in our family about suicide prevention. It is the second leading cause of death between ages 18 to 25. But 90 percent of people who seek treatment are cured,” she said.

Ray Romano, who played Ray Barone on the show, also reflected on the impact Sawyer had on the cast. “So Sawyer, of course, is no longer with us, and we miss him,” he said. Madylin added that many fans have reached out to say that talking about Sawyer has helped them. “And so many of the messages we get are people saying, ‘I’m so grateful to have heard about your brother. He saved my life,’” she said.

The Sweeten family works with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, and they also raise funds through an annual “Sawyer” t-shirt initiative, with all proceeds supporting the organization, according to Madylin.

“Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion” aired on November 24 on CBS at 8 p.m. and streams on Paramount+.

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