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Disney star Cameron Boyce, 20, who died suddenly in his sleep suffered from epilepsy, officials confirm

In recent years, the young star had dedicated himself to charity work and was honored with the Pioneering Spirit Award at last year's Thirst Gala.
UPDATED JUL 8, 2019

Cameron Boyce, best known for his roles in the Disney franchise 'Descendants' and TV show 'Jessie', has died at just 20 years old.

The actor was reportedly suffering from epilepsy and had been dealing with seizures for a few years. 

The actor's death was first confirmed by his family Saturday night, who had announced that his death was due to "an ongoing medical condition", ABC News reports.

"It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron," a spokesperson said on behalf of the Boyce family. "He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated. The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him."

"We are utterly heartbroken and ask for privacy during this immensely difficult time as we grieve the loss of our precious son and brother," they added.

Cameron Boyce attends LA Family Housing Annual LAFH Awards And Fundraiser Celebration at The Lot on April 25, 2019, in West Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)

In recent years, the young star had dedicated himself to charity work and was honored with the Pioneering Spirit Award at last year's Thirst Gala, an event sponsored by a non-profit called Thirst Project for which Boyce raised over $30,000 to help build wells for clean drinking water in Swaziland.

The Los Angeles resident made his acting debut at just 9 years old when he starred in the horror film "Mirrors". He then appeared two years later in the blockbuster Adam Sandler flick, 'Grown Ups,' as one of his children.

Boyce first shot to fame as one of the leads in the Disney soap 'Jessie, where played Luke Ross alongside the eponymous Jessie Prescott, a character played by actress Debby Ryan. The show ran for a good four seasons and 98 episodes.

That said, the young star catapulted to even greater heights after his role in the 'Descendants films. which topped TV film ratings in 2015 and 2017.

Former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden (L) and actor Cameron Boyce attend The 2019 Biden Courage Awards at Russian Tea Room on March 26, 2019, in New York City. (Getty Images)

"From a young age, Cameron Boyce dreamed of sharing his extraordinary artistic talents with the world. As a young man, he was fueled by a strong desire to make a difference in peoples' lives through his humanitarian work," a Disney Channel spokesperson said. "He was an incredibly talented performer, a remarkably caring and thoughtful person and, above all else, he was a loving and dedicated son, brother, grandson and friend."

"We offer our deepest condolences to his family, cast mates and colleagues and join his many millions of fans in grieving his untimely passing. He will be dearly missed," they added.

Boyce had just shared a head shot of himself on Friday to his 8.1 million followers on Instagram.

He had several upcoming projects in the pipeline, including HBO's new show, 'Mrs. Fletcher,' starring Kathryn Hahn, and the TV spinoff of the film 'American Satan,' called "Paradise City," about the life of musicians navigating the industry.

 

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