Heath Ledger’s father Kim has opened up about the actor’s shock death and his mission to ensure his son didn’t die in vain.
Kim says his family was stunned by Heath’s 2008 death from an accidental prescription drug overdose but is sharing his story to help save others from a similar fate.
“The way Heath passed away was a shock to us, I certainly had no idea that anybody could die of something so quickly who was healthy the day before,” Kim told Huffington Post Australia.
“You never really can accept these things are going to happen. I suppose the best thing you can do is try to turn a tragedy into something worthwhile that can benefit others.
“By raising the profile, it does provide me with a better feeling about it. It’s an opportunity to save somebody else’s life, unfortunately at the expense of Heath.”
Kim Ledger
Kim, who is an ambassador for Australian Overdose Awareness Week, also thinks schoolchildren should be educated about the dangers of prescription medications.
“There are no short-term fixes,” he said. “This is a long-term strategy to inform the younger generation, so they can tell their parents and people around them.
“By making people aware of it, we can change the cycle.”
