More information about David Gail’s death has been revealed one month after the soap opera star’s passing.
Gale died from anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a brain injury resulting from lack of blood flow, following resuscitation from cardiopulmonary arrest due to drug intoxication including amphetamines, cocaine, ethanol and fentanyl, according to a statement from Gail’s publicist on behalf of the family including his mom, Mary Painter. He was 58.
breaks my heart to learn that my son died this way,” Painter said in a statement to Deadline. “David became reliant on medicine many years ago, after multiple surgeries on his hands and wrists. He lived in enough pain to prevent him from working for almost a decade, with relief only achieved through full disability, physical therapy and pain medicine.
She continued, “He struggled to stop taking pharmaceuticals and did before turning toward a more Eastern pain management including acupuncture and natural medicines. I can only assume that his former opioid dependence played a part in self-medicating from uncontrolled sources.”