An emotional, unshaven Walter Koenig told a packed press conference that his son Andrew had waged a lifelong battle with mental health issues amid concerns the 41-year-old had stopped taking anti-depression medication.
"We just want to know that you're okay," he said in a direct appeal to his son. "If that means changing your life and just staying here then okay, that's okay … you don't have to come back — just let us know that's your intention."
Vancouver police believes Koenig is still somewhere in the city and has chosen to go offline. According to family, there has been no activity on Koenig's mobile phone or bank card since February 16.
It seems clear now that the former actor was planning this, as he sold what he could of his personal stuff in Venice, California. What was not bought was left for anyone who wanted it. Also, he was going to Vancouver where the Winter Olympics are currently going on. With police overwhelmed with security issues, along with half the world up there, he could easily slip in and simply vanish.
So, was he planning to vanish in Vancouver, a place he was familiar with, having lived there for a time, or was he planning to end his life?
Theoretically, I suppose, if he was planning to kill himself, a body probably would've popped up by now. Still, with so many people around the city, who knows what might go unnoticed.
Koenig, who appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and played The Joker in 2003's Batman: Dead End, had most recently been working on comedy and editing movies with his friend, writer/producer Lance Miccio. Miccio told ABCNews.com that the actor "suffered with depression and "would get down easily."
"He liked to go to Vancouver because it's beautiful and quiet, it's his favorite place in nature," Miccio said. "One of the films we did together, Living the Blues, it's about a manic depressive musician who went to a spot in nature that he loved and took his own life. I'm not saying that's what happened with Andrew, but it has occurred to me."
According to Miccio, Koenig hated being known for his Growing Pains role and Star Trek connection.
"When I introduced him to people, he said, 'Never say my dad's Chekov and never say I played Boner,'" Miccio said. "He didn't want to be known as Boner his whole life. That's something that affected him."
Depression can make people do things such as this, but I still believe that people who do suffer from it still (partially) think rationally. Putting his family through this is not fair.
One hopes there will be a happy ending here.
Where are you Andrew Koenig?
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