Keanu Reeves: 5 tragic strokes of fate shape his life to this day

Keanu Reeves
Knew? These 5 strokes of fate happened to him

Keanu Reeves has been one of the most successful action heroes since the 90s. Privately, however, he has already gone through hell several times.

Keanu Reeves is considered to be the world’s most mysterious action star. No wonder he’s already been through all sorts of bad things at the age of 58.

Keanu Reeves: 5 strokes of fate that have shaped his life to this day

1. His father left Keanu when he was three years old – and ended up in prison

Keanu Reeves’ childhood can be described as nomadic. He was born on September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon. His mother Patricia Taylor, 79, a costume designer from Hampshire, Britain, taught him “good manners,” as he once said in a US television interview. After that, his family moved to Australia and then to New York, finally settling in Toronto, Canada. It was there in Yorkville that Reeves spent his childhood – but without a father figure.

Hawaii native Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr., †76, took off when the “Matrix” star was just three years old. In 1997 he was asked about his father on “The Howard Stern Show”. Reeves said at the time that Samuel Nowlin had been jailed “on drugs,” but believed he wouldn’t be in jail again, but wasn’t sure. The reason? “I haven’t seen him since I was 13,” Keanu revealed. Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr. died in 2018 at the age of 76 without ever seeing his son again.

2. Keanu Reeves loses his close friend River Phoenix († 23)

While filming the US comedy “I Love You to Death” from 1990, Keanu Reeves learned River Phoenix, † 23, brother of Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, 48. They became friends and became close confidants. The Academy Award-nominated actor collapsed outside Johnny Depp’s Viper Room nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood on October 31, 1993 and died shortly thereafter of a drug overdose – in the arms of his brother Joaquin.

Decades later, when asked about River, Keanu is still at a loss for words. In a video clip of the interview with the “Esquire” magazine in November 2021, he kissed his photo. A touching gesture.

3. Reeves’ daughter Ava is stillborn

Unfortunately, Keanu Reeves knows nothing about tragic losses. His then girlfriend Jennifer Syme, † 28, assistant to cult director David Lynch, 77, whom he met in 1998 at a party of his rock band “Dogstar” and later fell in love, gave birth to their daughter Ava on December 24, 1999.

A few weeks later, the couple separated, only to get back together shortly thereafter, Reeves later told investigators.

4. Keanu’s girlfriend dies in a car accident: he’s carrying her coffin

Because Jennifer Syme died in a car accident on April 2, 2001 at the age of only 28. Her car collided with three parked cars on Cahuenga Boulevard in Los Angeles.

According to the “People” magazine, she was not wearing her seat belt and was under the influence of alcohol and died at the scene of the accident. Keanu Reeves acted as one of her pallbearers at the funeral on April 7, 2001. Jennifer Syme was buried next to her daughter in Los Angeles.

5. Reeves’ sister Kim is diagnosed with leukemia

Due to his father’s absence, Reeves’ relationship with his sisters Kim and Karina Reeves is particularly close. The former fell ill with blood cancer (leukemia) in 1991. The actor took over her care in the 90s. In the end, she successfully fought the serious illness for ten years. “She was always there for me, so I will always be there for her,” Keanu Reeves said at the time.

In 2022, the Hollywood star is said to have donated a total of 80 million US dollars (around 70 million euros), i.e. a large part of his “Matrix” fee, to cancer research, as reported by “Teller Report”. Reeves has never commented on it himself – modestly as ever.

Sources used: Documentary “Keanu Reeves, the Enigmatic One”, retrieved from arte.tv, howardstern.com, gq.com, esquire.com, people.com, tellerreport.com

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