Tyler Lambert, the only son of the late Diff’rent Strokes actress Dana Plato, has committed suicide.

The 25-year-old died on May 6, nearly 11 years after his mother died from a drug overdose.

His death was confirmed by the Tulsa, Okla., office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who said that Lambert died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Toxicology test results are still pending.

Plato was a popular television star who played Kimberly Drummond on Diff’rent Strokes.

The show was a hit from its premiere in 1978, and Plato became a household name.

However, she was written off the series in 1984 due to rumors of drug use, and she struggled to find other roles.

Plato eventually turned to softcore pornography, including a 1997 feature based on her Diff’rent Strokes past.

Legal and substance abuse problems plagued the actress, and in 1991 she was arrested for attempting to rob a video store at gunpoint.

In 1999, Plato died after overdosing on Vanadom and Vicodin.

Lambert was just 14 when his mother died, and it appears he never got over her death.

Plato married Lambert’s father, Lanny Lambert, in 1984 and gave birth to Tyler a year later.

The couple divorced in 1990, and Lanny Lambert was given custody of their son.

The death of Tyler Lambert brings to mind the troubled legacies of other child stars from the 1980s.

Andrew Koenig, who played Richard “Boner” Stabone on Growing Pains, killed himself in February after a lifetime of suffering from depression.

His father, actor Walter Koenig, said that Andrew had been trying to escape his fame as “Boner” and had been working hard in the entertainment industry.

Koenig’s friend, writer/producer Lance Miccio, said that Andrew hated being known for his Growing Pains role and Star Trek connection.

Tracey Gold, Koenig’s Growing Pains co-star, also weathered the ups and downs of Hollywood.

She rocketed to teen stardom after being cast as Carol Seaver in the series, but behind the scenes, Gold struggled with anorexia.

In 2004, she was arrested for driving under the influence after she rolled her SUV, carrying her husband and her three young sons, down a California highway embankment.

MacKenzie Phillips, the former star of the 1970s-1980s sitcom One Day at a Time, revealed in September 2009 that her rock star father, John Phillips, raped her at age 18, sparking a 10-year-long consensual sexual relationship. Phillips also has a history of substance abuse issues.

Corey Feldman, who appeared in dozens of television shows and successful films like The Goonies and Stand By Me, had a difficult childhood.

He claimed that his parents abused him, and he was granted legal emancipation from them at age 15.

Never-ending exposure to the Hollywood lifestyle led to an appetite for drugs, and in 1990, Feldman was arrested for heroin possession.

Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie Tanner on Full House, struggled with addiction to methamphetamine.

She kept her daily meth habit a secret from her then-husband, LAPD officer Shaun Holguin.

After a night of partying landed her in the hospital, Sweetin sought treatment. Once sober, she divorced Holguin and married Cody Herpin, the father of her daughter Zoie.

Todd Bridges

Another “Diff’rent Strokes” star, Todd Bridges, struggled with addiction and legal issues after the show ended. Bridges played Willis Jackson on the show, which ended in 1986.

In his memoir, “Killing Willis,” Bridges detailed his drug addiction and how he was able to get sober. He also revealed that he was sexually abused as a child by a family friend.

In 1988, Bridges was arrested for attempted murder after shooting a drug dealer eight times during an argument.

He was acquitted of the charges, but he struggled to find work in Hollywood after the incident.

Bridges eventually turned his life around and became an advocate for addiction recovery and mental health awareness.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan was a child star in the ’90s and 2000s, appearing in films like “The Parent Trap,” “Freaky Friday,” and “Mean Girls.”

However, Lohan’s career was derailed by her struggles with substance abuse and legal issues.

In 2007, Lohan was arrested for DUI and went to rehab. She continued to have run-ins with the law, including a 2010 probation violation that landed her in jail.

Lohan has been to rehab multiple times and has struggled to find consistent work in Hollywood.

In recent years, Lohan has focused on rebuilding her career and personal life. She starred in a reality TV show, “Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club,” in 2019, and has continued to act in films and TV shows.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears was a teen pop sensation in the late ’90s and early 2000s, with hit songs like “Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again.”

However, Spears’ personal life began to unravel in the mid-2000s.

In 2007, Spears famously shaved her head and attacked a paparazzo’s car with an umbrella.

She was placed under a conservatorship, with her father and a lawyer in control of her finances and personal life.

Spears struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse, and was in and out of rehab.

Spears has since regained control of her life and career.

In 2021, a judge ended the conservatorship, and Spears has been speaking out about her experiences. She has also released new music and performed in Las Vegas shows.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson was a child star in the ’90s, starring in films like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Matilda,” and “Miracle on 34th Street.”

Wilson retired from acting in the early 2000s, citing the pressure and scrutiny that came with being a child star.

In a 2020 essay for The New York Times, Wilson wrote about the negative experiences she had as a child actor, including being sexualized by the media and dealing with the death of her mother.

Wilson has since become a writer and has spoken out about the need for better protections and support for child actors.

Final Thoughts

The stories of these child stars show that fame and success can come with a high price.

Many of these actors struggled with addiction, mental health issues, and legal problems.

However, some were able to turn their lives around and become advocates for recovery and mental health.

It’s important to remember that behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, these actors are real people dealing with real struggles.