Intervention Stars Who Sadly Died

The following article includes mentions of addiction, mental illness, domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, and suicide.

"Intervention" documents the difficulties faced by those struggling with addiction or destructive behavior. At the end of each episode, the featured person is subject to an intervention — where their loved ones, with the help of a professional, attempt to persuade them to get treatment.

The show's been accused of being exploitative, and given the drama and chaos that may accompany addiction and mental illness, any kind of coverage is likely to cause controversy. And while on the whole, "Intervention" manages to balance documenting shocking circumstances with empathy and compassion, it's not without its detractors. The Philadelphia Inquirer, for example, reports that local addiction specialists accused the series of sensationalizing Philly's opioid epidemic.

There's no escaping the positives, though: "Intervention" educates viewers about addiction and mental illness, it provides treatment for people who often couldn't afford it themselves, and the results are impressive. As per The Daily Beast, "Intervention" boasts "a 71 percent success rate in rehabbing the most determined, hardened addicts." However, relapse — and even death — are not uncommon when it comes to recovery, as not everybody overcomes their so-called "demons." And if they do, sometimes they're hit by another, totally unrelated tragedy. Read on for stories of "Intervention" stars who sadly died.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Karissa Hilts' addiction to heroin was documented during Season 15 of "Intervention." Before discovering opiates, her passion had been cooking. She was so talented at it that her mom planned on her taking over the family diner one day. However, everything changed after Karissa was introduced to Oxycodone by a friend's mom when she was 13 (via CNY Central).

With a childhood that had been chaotic and violent, Karissa never dealt with the resulting trauma — so she seemed primed to fall "in love" with opiates, as she put it, given their ability to numb and suppress emotional pain equally as well as physical. To fund her ever-growing habit, Karissa started running drugs. Her life spiraled as her dependency deepened, and before long, she had developed a full-blown heroin addiction. Family and friends began to fear for her life, watching over her after she passed out, with a naloxone kit on hand, in case she'd accidentally overdosed.

Karissa's intervention ended with her entering treatment. But when she returned home, she started using again, resulting in a near-fatal overdose. "My poor mother found me like that," Karissa told CNY Central. A second stint in rehab proved successful, though, and she remained drug-free from February 2016 onwards. However, just 13 months later, Karissa was killed in an Orange County, Florida, hit-and-run incident. As per ClickOrlando, a 77-year-old man was subsequently charged "with failure to remain at the scene of a fatal crash." Karissa had maintained her sobriety right up until her death at age 29.

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

Vanessa Marquez's story ran in 2005 during the first season of "Intervention." She'd had been a successful actor with a recurring role on the hit drama "ER." However, her TV career ended once a shopping addiction and agoraphobia took over her life. Vanessa's spending became so out of control that she faced bankruptcy. Meanwhile, her agoraphobia had destroyed many of her relationships with friends and family, and Vanessa also battled depression and bipolar disorder.

Vanessa's intervention was one of just two in the show's history that didn't involve any family members. Instead, it was down to the few remaining friends she had left to urge her to seek treatment. However, Vanessa's mental state continued to deteriorate further over the next few years — along with her physical health. "She was imprisoned by her own illness," a friend told The Daily Beast. Vanessa would take to Facebook to write about her multiple disorders, which the outlet noted included "celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and increasingly debilitating seizures."

As per ABC7, on August 30, 2018, Vanessa's landlord requested a "welfare check" be carried out after becoming increasingly worried for her. When cops and a mental health professional arrived at the South Pasadena, California house, Vanessa suffered a seizure. She refused medical assistance, but talked with the cops for over an hour and a half. Then, suddenly, she reportedly "became combative" and began "waving a BB gun around." The cops, mistaking the weapon for a semi-automatic handgun, responded by fatally shooting Vanessa in the torso. She was 49 years old.

The third season of "Intervention" included the tragic story of Dillon Brewer. The 20-year-old's drug of choice was methamphetamine, and he was addicted to shooting it up every day. Growing up in Oklahoma, Dillon was a smart kid who was predicted to have a bright future ahead of him. However, a mix of circumstance and genetics would ultimately result in a much darker outcome. Dillon's father was a violent alcoholic. His mom, Tammy, eventually decided she couldn't tolerate her husband's abuse anymore. So, she left — taking Dillon with her.

Tammy channeled her energy into ensuring a happy life for Dillon. However, her hopes were dashed after he discovered meth. As Dillon's drug dependency grew, his behavior started changing. His never-ending need to score meth became his sole focus, and he seemingly stopped caring about anything else. Tammy's desperation to make her son happy appeared to make her ripe for manipulation. With Dillon exploiting this weak spot, their relationship soon turned toxic, and he moved in with his dad.

Dillon's intervention resulted in him entering rehab — but 31 days later, he quit. As per KOCO News 5, Dillon claimed, "The intervention saved my life." However, in November 2011, he died by suicide following a heated standoff with Grady County cops.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Skyler Patrick Russell's addiction battle featured in Season 11 of "Intervention." The 24-year-old's issues stemmed from his childhood due to pressure from his mom, Tiffany, to be a teen star. That pressure led to Skyler seeking a form of escape, and he found it — in drugs. As per Reality Blurred, Skyler was booking commercials and modeling gigs at 13 years old. "I pushed him every direction ... and I pushed hard," Tiffany admitted when Skyler competed in Season 1 of "Endurance," the Disney Kids' version of "Survivor." He finished fifth, much to his mother's disappointment, and Skyler's grandma claimed Tiffany's stage mom demands played "a huge role" in her son turning to drugs. "For her, he just was never good enough," she said.

Skyler started smoking weed when he was 18, before moving on to bath salts at 23. The psychoactive street drug can induce psychosis, violent behavior, confusion, and paranoia (via Drugs.com). Skyler was snorting "up to 10 lines a day" over the course of seven months, and began suffering violent outbursts and paranoid delusions — hearing voices and battling imaginary "shadow people." His mental state deteriorated so severely that he had to be hospitalized four times in just six months.

An emotional intervention resulted in Skyler going to rehab, but sadly, he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder after detoxing. Following treatment, he continued to use bath salts and started drinking heavily. In October 2020, Skyler tragically died after suffering a brain infection and organ failure due to alcohol withdrawal.

In 2010, Season 9 of "Intervention" featured the story of Austin A. Powers. The 23-year-old was battling alcoholism, and it was destroying his life and affecting his friends and family. Austin was no stranger to the devastating impacts of alcohol abuse. His stepfather had been an alcoholic, and it was following his death that Austin had started drinking himself to try and deal with the painful loss.

Austin's life was spiraling out of control, and his loved ones were desperate to stop his self-destructive behavior and break the cycle before it was too late. But Austin refused these attempts at help. The situation had become even direr after his girlfriend became pregnant, and Austin was determined to pack as much partying in as possible prior to the arrival of his new baby. However, his family worried that at the rate Austin was going, he would die before he got the chance to become a dad.

Austin entered rehab following his intervention. He refused to acknowledge the extent of his addiction, though, and quit treatment after two months, declaring himself sober. As per The Loveland Reporter-Herald, in November 2011, cops were called to an apartment in Fort Collins, Colorado after a man reported finding his roommate "unresponsive." The roommate was Austin A. Powers — he'd died from a heroin overdose at age 24.

In 2017, the U.S. opioid epidemic was declared a national public health emergency. A mainly white, conservative, and middle-class Atlanta suburb 25 miles north of the city had been flooded by opioids. Heroin use had skyrocketed by 300%, resulting in the area being dubbed "The Heroin Triangle." The community refused to acknowledge the problem, though, believing that affluence, religious devotion, and (presumably) skin color made them somehow immune from supposed "inner city" plights. However, that started changing as more and more kids began fatally overdosing.

"Intervention" brought together a team of experts — and a camera crew — to film a nine-chapter special. Taylor Nichole Bitter was one of several featured in "Intervention: The Heroin Triangle." "The first time I tried heroin ... it was like all my problems had just washed right down the drain," Taylor explained. She worked as an exotic dancer to finance her "gram-a-day" habit. Her mom, Katherine, admitted to being "in a constant state of fear" about her daughter.

Taylor walked out of her intervention. "I want to be left alone," she pleaded, before ultimately returning to the room again. Despite strongly resisting at first, Taylor eventually agreed to rehab. "I feel such a sense of hope," Katherine admitted. "A weight has been lifted." Taylor returned home after treatment, and said, "I never thought I would feel emotions again. I never thought I would feel like the old me again." However, in January 2018, Taylor sadly died from acute asthmatic asphyxiation.

Ben Lowe's story featured in Season 4 of "Intervention," and it was truly tragic. The 25-year-old was a bona fide genius, with an IQ of 170. But Ben was addicted to Dextromethorphan — a cough medication commonly known as DMX. According to The DEA, DMX can cause liver damage, heart deterioration, delirium, hallucinations, and seizures when abused. When taken in large enough doses, it can result in death.

Ben's childhood had been incredibly dysfunctional. He'd suffered domestic violence, emotional abuse, isolation, and homelessness, and started using DMX in high school to help numb his feelings. As his addiction deepened, Ben began stealing and begging to fund his habit. At 19, he turned to sex work, developing an unhealthy, ongoing "relationship" with an older client. Ben's mom, Randi, grew increasingly desperate as she watched her son spiraling deeper into psychosis, fearing he would die if he didn't get help for his addiction.

Ben's intervention resulted in him entering rehab. However, after leaving treatment, he returned home and quickly relapsed. Randi refused to let Ben live with her while he continued to use — so he was forced to bunk at a friend's place. He died from an overdose in December 2016 at age 35. "Ben was public in regard to his personal demons and struggles," his obituary read. "He believed strongly in the value of knowledge, truth and the ability of people to form ways to face challenges together and overcome what rips them apart."

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

One episode of the fifth season of "Intervention" followed Sandy Saunders, a mother of four who had been struggling with prescription pills and vodka. Her daughters had been particularly worried about Saunders ever since her husband, a former alcoholic, had quit his substance abuse and left her behind in the house that they had built together. The show also covered how these addictions had impacted her body over the years, since she was already dealing with diabetes.

According to Distractify, Saunders completed her treatment and managed to get sober, but tragically died less than a year later in 2011 from diabetic ketoacidosis. "No matter how many obstacles came her way, she never stopped fighting," her family wrote in her obituary, describing Saunders as a resilient woman who had previously worked as a waitress, hostess, bank teller, and home health aide throughout her life. "She lit up around children and her greatest joy and primary focus was her family. She was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, whose sense of humor will be greatly missed."

Her surviving family included her four daughters (Allea, Brieana, Karalee, and Mariah) as well as her siblings and her beloved grandchildren.

John Carstens appeared on "Intervention" in 2009 because his parents were seriously worried about his health. Although the young man had type one diabetes, he seemed to be in denial about his condition and neglected to keep track of his blood sugar or insulin at all. This reckless approach to his food led to some brushes with death, and he had previously ended up in the hospital on multiple occasions. The show also demonstrated concerns about his social life outside of the family home and how he found it difficult to build a community.

Sadly, Carstens was only 27 when he died in 2014. As his obituary noted, the Arizona native had shown real academic promise while pursuing his Biomedical Technology Degree at Brown Mackie, where he received the Distinguished Student Award and graduated magna cum laude. "John was an inspiration. Insightful, loving, caring and a true gentleman ... a diamond," his family wrote, paying tribute to Carstens and his altruistic character. "Those who knew him were lucky to have found him. A good man, with great integrity, John was devoted to helping others." The mourners at his memorial service included the members of his family who survived him: his parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

When Conrad Dubois died of an overdose in 2019, his family turned his artwork into a fundraiser for youth mental health and addiction support.

As seen on "Intervention," Dubois faced an overwhelming dependence on oxycontin, due to mental health struggles that he had experienced since he was very young. But he was also a talented athlete and artist: as his obituary notes, he "excelled at snowboarding, wakeboarding, drumming, and drawing." And while his family found his addictions challenging, they were also close. "Conrad was a complicated human," his mother Shari Dubois told the Huntsville Doppler, explaining that she never gave up on her son and his fight to get sober. "I loved him with all my heart and just wanted him to be happy. Some days were fun, interesting, and exciting, and others were unbearably difficult."

So one year after he died, Shari planned a reunion for his closest loved ones and printed out T-shirts with one of his drawings, a colorful bear, emblazoned on the front. The design started getting attention on social media, and the Dubois family decided to start selling the shirts online to raise money for Mind-Aid, a charity that helps young people like Conrad deal with the mental health system. They quickly made over $15,000 by selling more than 1,500 "Coco Bear" merchandise items around the world. "The community support has been amazing," Shari stated. "Luckily most people love Conrad's artwork and then they find out that we are supporting a great cause."