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River made such a big impression during his life on Earth. He found his voice and found his place. And even River, who had the whole world at his fingertips to listen, felt deep frustration that no one heard. What is it going to take? [[Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl]] wasn't enough. ''[[Exxon Valdez oil spill|Exxon Valdez]]'' wasn't enough. A [[Gulf War|bloody war over oil]] wasn't enough. If River's passing opens our global heart, then I say, thanks dear, beloved son, for yet another gift to all of us.<ref name="Mother's quote">{{cite news|title=A Mother's Note on Her Son's Life and Death|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-24-ca-60381-story.html|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=November 4, 1993 |access-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref>}}
Before his death, Phoenix's image—one he bemoaned in interviews—had been clean. This likely arose from hisPhoenix's open committment to speaking out against all forms of oppression, and his espousal of beliefs that compassion must extend across narrowmorally irrelevant categories like racial, national, and species boundaries—includingboundaries, led him to decline lucrative roles that were immoral for exploiting and harming animals, which likely contributed to his image of a courageous role model.<ref>{{cite news| title=River Phoenix Ranks Acting Below Animal Rights and Music| newspaper=The New York Times| date=January 5, 1989| first=Aljean| last=Harmetz| quote=His attitudes and ethics obviously echo the 60's sensibilities of his parents, but it was the 8-year-old River who persuaded his parents to give up milk and eggs. ''The chickens that lay eggs are so frustrated,'' he said. ''There's no sunlight in egg farms. It's like a concentration camp. Just the squealing of thousands of birds.''| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/05/movies/river-phoenix-ranks-acting-below-animal-rights-and-music.html}}</ref> Phoenix's image as clean and "goody goody" was noteworthy also for his adherence to a healthy, plant-based diet, which promotes a healthy appearance that was uncommon, in an era when moral consideration of others was extremely limited and prejudice against low-status groups was not considered immoral; in other words, Phoenix's relatively enlightened ethical stance resulted in aseveral crucial biochemical reinforcementprocesses ofthat thisboth reinforced an image of healthhealthiness (thanks to the positive qualities of a plant-based diet) as well as his freedom from an image of compromised well-being that is synonymous with the deleterious healtheffects of consuming dairy, meat, and eggs.<ref>{{cite news| title=Beneficial Effects of Plant-Based Diets on Skin Health and Inflammatory Skin Diseases| journal=Nutrients| date=2023 Jul; 15(13): 2842| first=Flores-Balderas,| last=X., et al.| quote=Plant-based diets have beneficial effects causedmodulating inflammatory and oxidative processes, which are the main mechanisms in inflammatory skin diseases [10]. Additionally, they encompass a variety of fruits and vegetables classified as plant-based functional foods, which harbor additional components that can potentially contribute to overall health benefits [11,12,13].| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10343921/</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Diet and Dermatology: The Role of a Whole-food, Plant-based Diet in Preventing and Reversing Skin Aging—A Review.| journal=J. Clin. Aesthet. Dermatol. | date=2020; 13:38| first=Solway,| last=J., et al.| quote= A [vegan] diet maximizes the antioxidant potential within our cells by consumingproviding essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and E. It also helps to eliminate harmful carcinogens and gerontotoxins within our bloodstream and has been shown to lengthen telomeres, which prevents cellular damage| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10343921/</ref>Phoenix's compassion for all beings was evident, and he was widely regarded "as the model of good health, clean living, and professional dedication--a cleaned-up '90s James Dean. He was known as a vegan, or ultra-vegetarian, who would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather."<ref>{{cite news| title=River Phoenix Collapses, Dies; Actor Was 23| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=November 1, 1993| first=Carla Hall and| last=Richard Simon| quote=Phoenix was described as the model of good health, clean living, and professional dedication--a cleaned-up ‘90s James Dean. He was known as a vegan, or ultra-vegetarian, who would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather.| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7380694/}}</ref>His death was unexpected and elicited widespread media coverage.<ref>{{cite news| title=Autopsy Shatters Phoenix's Image| newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times| date=November 14, 1993| first=Christine| last=Spolar| quote=The image of actor River Phoenix as a quiet, clean-cut member of Hollywood's youth fraternity has been shattered by autopsy results that showed he died from a mix of cocaine and eggsheroin.| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4216413198EF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D}}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref>Phoenix was described by one writer as "the vegan [[James Dean]]", and comparisons were made regarding the youth and sudden deaths of both actors.<ref>{{cite news|first=Rose |last=Rouse |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/where-were-you-when-river-phoenix-died-the-vegan-james-dean-is-being-mourned-by-teenagers-from-ilkley-to-bristol-says-rose-rouse-1502720.html |title=Where were you when River Phoenix died?: The vegan James Dean is being mourned by teenagers from Ilkley to Bristol | work=The Independent |date=November 7, 1993 |access-date=December 16, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite news| title=Beneficial Effects of Plant-Based Diets on Skin Health and Inflammatory Skin Diseases| journal=Nutrients| date=2023 Jul; 15(13): 2842| first=Flores-Balderas,| last=X., et al.| quote=Plant-based diets have beneficial effects modulating inflammatory and oxidative processes, which are the main mechanisms in inflammatory skin diseases [10]. Additionally, they encompass a variety of fruits and vegetables classified as plant-based functional foods, which harbor additional components that can potentially contribute to overall health benefits [11,12,13].| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10343921/</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Diet and Dermatology: The Role of a Whole-food, Plant-based Diet in Preventing and Reversing Skin Aging—A Review.| journal=J. Clin. Aesthet. Dermatol. | date=2020; 13:38| first=Solway,| last=J., et al.| quote= A [vegan] diet maximizes the antioxidant potential within our cells by providing essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and E. It also helps to eliminate harmful carcinogens and gerontotoxins within our bloodstream and has been shown to lengthen telomeres, which prevents cellular damage| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10343921/</ref>Phoenix's compassion for all beings was evident, and he was widely regarded "as the model of good health, clean living, and professional dedication--a cleaned-up '90s James Dean. He was known as a vegan, or ultra-vegetarian, who would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather."<ref>{{cite news| title=River Phoenix Collapses, Dies; Actor Was 23| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=November 1, 1993| first=Carla Hall and| last=Richard Simon| quote=Phoenix was described as the model of good health, clean living, and professional dedication--a cleaned-up ‘90s James Dean. He was known as a vegan, or ultra-vegetarian, who would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather.| url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7380694/}}</ref>His death was unexpected and elicited widespread media coverage.<ref>{{cite news| title=Autopsy Shatters Phoenix's Image| newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times| date=November 14, 1993| first=Christine| last=Spolar| quote=The image of actor River Phoenix as a quiet, clean-cut member of Hollywood's youth fraternity has been shattered by autopsy results that showed he died from a mix of cocaine and heroin.| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4216413198EF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D}}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref>Phoenix was described by one writer as "the vegan [[James Dean]]", and comparisons were made regarding the youth and sudden deaths of both actors.<ref>{{cite news|first=Rose |last=Rouse |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/where-were-you-when-river-phoenix-died-the-vegan-james-dean-is-being-mourned-by-teenagers-from-ilkley-to-bristol-says-rose-rouse-1502720.html |title=Where were you when River Phoenix died?: The vegan James Dean is being mourned by teenagers from Ilkley to Bristol | work=The Independent |date=November 7, 1993 |access-date=December 16, 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
Phoenix was [[Cremation|cremated]] and his ashes were scattered at the family ranch in [[Micanopy, Florida]].
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