Autopsy results showed that Matthew’s cause of death was an accidental drug overdose.
‘He was dead at the time. He had taken a dose of unusually pure heroin and it was too much for his heart,’ Eden said. ‘Even when he was getting in shape, he did it like a junkie – compulsively. He couldn’t do anything in moderation.’
Mourning the death of her only child, the writer and singer, who has been married to John Eicholtz since 1991, is still searching for answers.
‘Matthew took it terribly. He wanted his mum and dad to stay together. If I had to do it all over again, I would have waited until he was older. But then I reminded myself that many children from divorced families don’t become addicts.’ She continued: ‘He won a lot of battles. But his personal war he lost.’
The elder Ansara, who died at age 91 in 2013 from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, is buried next to his son at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
As for Eden, who retired in a pink harem costume as Jeannie, she can be seen in TV shows such as Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition and the 2019 film My Adventures with Santa, where she plays Mrs Claus. Her latest stage production is the 2019 film Love Letters.
Firstly, we would like to wish the lovely Barbara Eden a very happy birthday!
Next, we can’t imagine the pain of a parent losing a child and are so sorry for her loss. If someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact your local alcohol or drug abuse hotline – it could save their life.
Please share this story, and let’s send Eden the warm wishes and love she deserves!