Tragedy as former child star of sitcom ALF dies of heatstroke after falling asleep in car aged 46
11 July 2024, 06:44
A former child star has died of heatstroke aged 46 after falling asleep in his car.
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Benji Gregory, who acted in the popular US sitcom ALF in the late 1980s, was found in his car outside a bank in Arizona on June 13.
It is believed he had been depositing a cheque at a bank when he returned to the car and fell asleep, leading to his death.
Gregory was with his dog, Hans, who also died of heatstroke.
Arizona, in the south-west of the US, can be very hot in summer, reaching above 40C at times.
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The former child star's exact cause of death is still being determined, according to local authorities.
Gregory had suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, as well as having a sleep condition that meant he sometimes stayed up for days at a time.
Born in 1978, he starred in ALF, a sitcom about an alien living with a normal American family, from 1986-1990. The show aired in the UK on CITV.
Gregory also made appearances in other TV shows such as the A-Team, Fantasy Island and the Twilight Zone.
Gregory dropped out of acting in 2003, when he was in his mid-twenties.
He joined the US Navy, rising to the position of aerographer's mate. He had an honourable discharge in 2005.
Gregory married his wife Sarah in 2006.
