Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Members Who Tragically Passed Away
Trigger warning: The following article contains mentions of suicide.
In 2026, the beloved sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" celebrates 30 years since its 1996 premiere on CBS. In honor of the milestone, Paramount aired a reunion special in November 2025, bringing the show's main cast members back together for the first time since "Raymond" ended in 2005 — and side-by-side photos show just how much they've all changed since then. Unfortunately, some cast members passed away before the 30th-anniversary reunion.
Two of the most essential characters to the central family dynamic in "Everybody Loves Raymond" were Frank and Marie Barone, played by Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, respectively. Boyle passed away at the age of 71 in December 2006, about a year and half after "Raymond" aired its series finale. Roberts passed away a decade later in April 2016. She was 90 years old. During a 2018 interview with Arthur Kade, "Raymond" star Brad Garrett — who played Frank and Marie's elder son Robert Barone — shot down the idea of a reboot on the grounds that there was "no show" without Boyle and Roberts.
Outside the main cast, another heartbreaking death was that of Max Rosenthal, father of "Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Philip Rosenthal. Max, who had appeared in a handful of episodes from 2002 to 2004, died in 2021 at the age of 95. And sadly, Sawyer Sweeten, who played Ray (Ray Romano) and Debra Barone's (Patricia Heaton) son Geoffrey Barone, died by suicide in 2015 at the age of just 19.
The cast of Everybody Loves Raymond continues to pay tribute to Sawyer Sweeten
Madylin Sweeten's Ally Barone was the most prominently featured of Ray and Debra's three children on "Everybody Loves Raymond," but Ally's younger twin brothers, Geoffrey and Michael, were also staples of the Barone household. They were played Madylin's real-life twin brothers, Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten. Naturally, when it came to light that Sawyer had died so unexpectedly a decade after the show ended, the surviving cast of "Raymond" mourned his loss.
"He was a wonderful and sweet kid to be around," series lead Ray Romano told E! News at the time, adding, "Just a great energy whenever he was there. My heart breaks for him, his family and his friends during this very difficult time." Sawyer was survived not only by older sister Madylin and twin brother Sullivan, but also younger sister Maysa, who is not an actress herself. "Sawyer was more than just a brother. He was a strong and selfless friend," Madylin told People shortly after her brother's death. "There isn't a single day I won't miss him," Maysa added.
More than a decade later, the Sweeten siblings are still doing their best to keep Sawyer's memory alive. Both Madylin and Sullivan were in attendance for the "Everybody Loves Raymond" 30th-anniversary reunion special, which dedicated a portion of its runtime to remembering Sawyer. "I try to think about the good moments. And oftentimes, that's here on the set," Sullivan said.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).