Report: Jeff Conaway to Be Taken Off Life Support

By PopEater Staff Posted May 26th 2011 03:50PM

Jeff Conaway will be taken off life support machines after doctors told the 'Grease' actor's family that he has had no brain activity since being admitted to a hospital May 11. "The feeding tube has already been removed. The ventilator which is breathing for Jeff, will be removed sometime this afternoon," a source close to the situation told RadarOnline.com.

The source said no measures will be made to revive the actor, saying, "Jeff is in no pain whatsoever."

It was originally reported that the 60-year-old Conaway was hospitalized in Los Angeles because of prescription drug overdose, but celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky later said the former 'Taxi' star was suffering from pneumonia and sepsis, a dangerous blood infection.

Pinsky, who treated Conaway on VH1's 'Celebrity Rehab,' also disputed Conaway's manager's assertion that the actor was comatose. "He's in an induced coma," Pinsky said. "He's actually on a Propafol drip."

Ten days into his hospitalization, his condition worsened , as described by Pinsky. He told his Twitter followers that Conaway was "considered critical with sepsis. Many people die from septic shock," then adding, "We all need to pray for him. Not doing well today suddenly."

Conaway rocketed to fame in 1978 with a starring role in 'Grease' and in the same year began his three-year run on the hit TV series 'Taxi.' Roles dried up in the 1980s as his substance abuse problem worsened, but he later found steady work on the sci-fi hit 'Babylon 5.'

In 2008, a disheveled and unhealthy Conaway joined Pinsky's VH1 show, 'Celebrity Rehab,' to address his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Sadly, his sobriety attempt failed and last year, the actor was injured in a fall while under the influence of OxyContin and methadone.

PEOPLE reports that on the night of May 9, Conaway's on/off girlfriend Victoria Spinoza visited him. According to a close friend, Spinoza told Conaway she would take him to a doctor the following morning. When the time came, she received no answer and called 911.

Now Conaway's family has seized upon that visit as a legal grievance; the actor's sister, Carla Shreve, filed a May 18 restraining order against Spinoza, alleging that after a recent breakup, Conaway feared for his life.

"He had just secured an apartment ... and was calling friends and family anxious to start this part of his life without her," reads Shreve's restraining order request, obtained by PEOPLE

The magazine calls Conaway's rocky relationship with Spinoza "volatile," noting restraining orders each filed against the other earlier in 2011. Spinoza's friend and spokesperson, Aubry Fisher, tells PEOPLE Spinoza cared for Conaway for seven years and deems the new restraining order "horrible and wrong."

"When Vikki went to visit Jeff in the hospital, she sat by his side," Fisher said, referencing the day before the restraining order went through. "They were in the process of reconciling."

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=1000816&pid=1000815&uts=1306441657

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/tv/?s_channel=us.tvpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Jeff Conaway Pics

HOLLYWOOD - FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway and Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards on September 24 2008 at the Avalon Hollywood club in Hollywood California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FILE: Jeff Conaway attends the Andre Merritt ASCAP Awards After-Party at the Hwood on April 22, 2009 in Hollywood, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

SANTA MONICA, CA - FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the 6th annual "TV Land Awards" held at Barker Hanger on June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for TV Land)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the 6th annual "TV Land Awards" held at Barker Hangar on June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2009 file photo, Jeff Conaway arrives at the 2009 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards in Los Angeles. Conaway's manager says the former star of "Taxi" is hospitalized in critical condition. The actor was found unconscious last week from a drug overdose, possibly pain pills, manager Phil Brock said Wednesday, May 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD - APRIL 22: Vikki Lizzi (L) and Jeff Conaway (R) arrive at Andre Merritt's ASCAP Awards After-Party on April 22, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vikki Lizzi;Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Actor Jeff Conaway and Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the Fox Reality Channel

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 24: Actor Jeff Conaway (R) and television personality Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards at the Avalon Hollywood club September 24, 2008 in Hollywood California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vikki Lizzi;Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Jeff Conaway attends the official VMA after party presented by Nikon And Pepsi at Paramount Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Tags: Jeff Conaway

Comments

(100)

Thursday 26 May

By jeff 760

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

This is not a time for us to judge how he lived his life or why he chose the path that he did but a time for us to appreciate Jeff for being Jeff.

By GeneralGeorge

Oxycottin Kills again when will we get this Herion drug off the market.

By jlynn

Vote down Vote up Report this

I agree, they took Darvocet off the market, and I have never heard of anyone dying from Darvocet. But you always here of Oxycontin overdoses....

By My 2 cents

A lost soul. It will be sad to see you go. Be at peace.

By You Sexy Mama!

hopefully he's been talking with God while he's been under, and his soul is right with Him. I pray we can meet one day and have some laffs...

By tina

Incredibly sad.

By Josie

God Bless you Jeff. May you find peace now. Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.

By Julie

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

This so sad. He was so great in Taxi and in Grease.

By tanbiker

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Another druggie bites the dust.

By Regina

You were a great actor Jeff. I will always love you. God Bless.
Grease Is The Word!

By John F.C. Taylor

Most seem to be remembering him from his role in Grease. I vaguely remember him from Taxi, but remember him most from his role on Babylon 5.

By kristine

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

>self medicating ourselves because we can't handle the realities of life<

most people cant handle realities of life and they are 5000% sober

By frances

it will be a sad day to see him go as many actors, that get caught up into the alchol and drugs,, wish there was something more do do for him now, but i take it he is going happy the way he wanted to go,,, so sad,,, very sad,,,,,

By cathy

how sad...

..how sad.....

By Sue

What kind of doctor is Drew Pinsky to divulge private patient information on the social network? I guess Media Docs don't have to follow HIPPA regulations. Mr. Conaway deserves his privacy.

By Jackie Butler

damn

By jsumnersum

That really is a shame. I went to grammar school with him. St. Michael's in Flushing, NY and we were also altar boys. He was a good friend.

By Mike

Really a sad life this guy has had

By charlene mayo

So sad that this is happening to such a gifted and nice looking man and so young.God Bless you Jeff and may you find the peace you seek in heaven.

Page 2 of 5