Tragic Story behind the Death of Andrew Koenig, Who Played Boner in 'Growing Pains'

Andrew Koenig was supposed to call his parents when he got home, after making the drive back from West Vancouver, Canada. When the family didn't receive news of their son's arrival, they knew that something bad had happened.

He left home with his parents Judy and Walter Koenig, who played Chekov on the TV series "Star Trek" and in the movies. Walter told police authorities that the last time he spoke with his son was on February 9.

The disappearance of Andrew was a blow to his parents, who had noticed that his 44-year-old son was not having a good time. They posted an ad requesting information from anyone who could help find their child.

They also told the police that their son was facing depression and that his cell phone was turned off. The last person who had contact with him was the staff of a bakery near the Stanley Park area of Vancouver.

Andrew's colleagues in Hollywood such as Alyssa Milano, Sarah Silverman, Alyson Hannigan, and Greg Behrendt, joined the search by sharing social media accounts messages requesting information about the actor.

He never liked being typecast in the role of Boner from “Growing Pains” all his life, nor to be known for his reference to Star Trek. He hated that people asked him about it. That was something that affected him a lot.

One of his friends, actress Lance Miccio, commented that they had collaborated on more than 15 projects. She called to offer him a job since she had a good offer for him, but Andrew simply declined it. Something that told Miccio that her friend was not fine even though he seemed to look alright.

She encouraged him to get out of the house and move on. Her surprise was huge when he returned that day and got a bag with a series of objects including the gifts that Miccio gave him for years.

Miccio went to Florida and upon returning found the bag with the gifts hanging on her door. Miccio would have speculated that Koenig's trip from his home in Venice, California to his parents' home in Vancouver, where he once lived, may have had a dark motive.

She noted that the 41-year-old actor suffered from anxiety and would easily become depressed.

Family and friends found the missing actor's body hanging on a tree in a park in Vancouver, British Columbia. At a subsequent press conference, his father, Walter Koenig, said: "My son took his own life."

Depression is one of the biggest risk factors for suicide, said Nadine Kaslow Senior Psychologist and Vice President of the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Generally caused by biological factors, it can be exacerbated by stress. The sooner depression begins, and the more times it happens again, the harder it will be for the person to overcome it.