Warning: This article talks about a possible suicide. Please read carefully and take care of yourself.
Dana Plato was born on November 7, 1964, in Maywood, California. She was an actress best known for playing Kimberly Drummond, a caring character, on the popular TV show Diff’rent Strokes, which ran from 1978 to 1986. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she became a teen idol.
Aside from Diff’rent Strokes, Dana appeared in many other TV shows and movies. According to IMDb, some of her TV appearances included The Six Million Dollar Man (1975), Family (1976), What Really Happened to the Class of ’65? (1978), Hello, Larry (three episodes), The Facts of Life (1979), CHiPs (1979 and 1980), High School U.S.A. (1983), The Love Boat (1974), and Growing Pains (1985).
Dana Plato appeared in several movies, including Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), Return to Boggy Creek (1977), California Suite (1978), and Prime Suspect (1989), along with some smaller, less known films.
Sadly, Dana passed away on May 8, 1999, in Moore, Oklahoma, at just 34 years old. People wonder what led to such a heartbreaking and early end to her life.
How did Dana Plato die?
According to her IMDb bio and other sources, Dana Plato’s death at first seemed to be an accidental overdose of the painkiller “Loritab.” But 13 days later, on May 21, 1999, a coroner ruled her death a suicide because of the large amount of drugs in her system and her past attempts to take her own life. Some of her friends and people who knew her disagreed with this ruling.
On the day Dana Plato died, she had just done an interview with Howard Stern, hoping it would help restart her career. She and her fiancé, Robert Menchaca, who was also her manager, were on their way back to California in their motor home. They stopped at Menchaca’s parents’ house in Moore, Oklahoma, for a Mother’s Day weekend visit. Dana wasn’t feeling well, so she took some Lortab (a painkiller) and a muscle relaxer, then went to take a nap with her fiancé. When he woke up, he found her unresponsive next to him.
Dana Plato had been dealing with substance abuse for many years before her death. Her difficulties were often linked to the fact that she struggled to find more acting roles after Diff’rent Strokes ended.
We hope she has found peace now.
If you or someone you know is going through a tough time or is in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. For international crisis resources, check the link provided.
Аt thе аgе оf 32, shе wаs соnsidеrеd by mаny tо bе аn ехреriеnсеd drivеr. Тhеrе wаs nоthing tо susресt, hоwеvеr, оn thаt сursеd dаy, sоmеthing tеrriblе hарреnеd!
Courtney Ann Sanford, 32, renowned as an adept driver, met an unexpected end on a day that started likе any other. While on the road, she felt a surge of joy as her favorite song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, played on the radio. Wanting to shаrе her elation, Courtney took a selfie and captioned it, “This song makes me happy!” on Facebook. That split-second decision proved fatal.
Soon after, Courtney’s vehicle slammed into a truck at approximately 60 km/h. The force drove her car into a ditch and then into a tree. The devastating aftermath saw her car in flames, and trapped inside, she tragically succumbed.
When her family was alerted, they learned of her final Facebook post, eerily timed around the incident. Law enforcement confirmed, “The post was made at 8:33 AM. At 8:34 AM, we received the emergency call.”
Courtney’s tragic end underscores the peril of distracted driving. Her story stands as a stern reminder: “When behind the wheel, focus on driving; life’s precious moments can wait.” Every momentary distraction can lead to irreversible consequences.
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