Michael Fishman spoke out for the first time about his son Larry’s fatal overdose, four months after his death.
The Conners star, 39, discussed his youngest son’s death with Tamron Hall on Wednesday, October 28, noting that he died in June after an accidental drug overdose.
“It wasn’t so much a struggle [with substance abuse] for him,” he explained on the Tamron Hall Show. “He moved to a house in transition after living with his sister for a little while, and he tried drugs that turned out to be bad drugs that multiple people had a very serious reaction.”
“I think he chose me to be fair,” Fishman said of his bond with Larry. “I have two biological children from a previous marriage and at the end of that marriage I met his older sister, Camille, who a friend of mine kind of said, ‘She needs some support and guidance.’”
He added that the group “became this family unit” alongside his two children, Isabelle and Aaron, whom he shares with ex-wife Jennifer Briner.
Following Larry’s death, Fishman revealed that he felt like he “came to Larry, maybe later than I wish I could [have]. And I think for parents, you know, you wish you had more time.”
The Undrafted actor chose to address the heartbreaking death in order to possibly help someone else deal with the grief of losing a child.
“It’s this combination of trying to find a way to help my kids grieve and go through that process and to model positive behavior,” he explained. “A couple years ago, I probably would have never shared this, to be honest with you. But if it can — [if] one other person can relate. If it can help you talk to your kids in some way.”
The producer continued: “If it opens up a dialogue, where you just listen, because I think the trauma that lies underneath [is there]. The really important part is that you’re brave enough to admit when you struggle, and that you need help or that you aren’t strong.”
Last month, Fishman remembered Larry on National Son’s Day, sharing a photo of all four of his kids together.
“Always in my heart,” he captioned the photo, after posting a separate group of pictures to honor his eldest son on the September holiday.
