It’s been seven years since the Sad Keanu meme took the internet by storm and during this time the world has come to discover the details about his tragic life.
The famous actor has had a really rough time.
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His father left when he was 3 years old, which led to an endless array of moves from city to city. As a result, he changed multiple schools and never thrived at making lasting friendships. Furthermore, he battled with dyslexia, a condition that hindered his education.
He overcame the struggles and managed to get to Hollywood.
He became best friends with fellow actor River Phoenix. The acclaimed actor tragically died of an overdose at the young age of 23, leaving Keanu in shock. They were very close, so close that Reeves considered him a brother and still thinks about him.
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“He was a remarkable human person and actor. We got along very well, and I miss him. I think of him often”, said Keanu during a Reddit AMA in 2014.
Things got even darker.
He met the love of his life, Jennifer Syme, in 1998 and after a year she became pregnant. Sadly, the baby was stillborn and this torment drove the couple apart. Shortly after, another tragedy took place. Jennifer died in a car accident. Allegedly Keanu has never been connected romantically to anyone since.
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Another huge blow for the actor.
His younger sister and best friend, Kim, was diagnosed with leukemia and endured a long battle with cancer. She eventually fell into remission. Since then, the actor donates a lot of money for leukemia research, including having contributed with 70% of his salary from Matrix.
He himself had a near death experience.
Back in 1988, a bike accident almost left him dead. He smashed into the side of a mountain, ruptured his spleen, broke a few ribs and laid on the pavement for an hour before help arrived. He was convinced he was going to die, especially after a truck ran over his helmet. Another motorcycle accident left him with a broken ankle and a scar on his right leg, in 1996.
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“Grief changes shape, but it never ends”, Keanu Reeves told Parade Magazine in 2006.
Despite going through these harrowing experiences, Keanu Reeves has survived and is now leading a very humble life. He can often be seen walking the streets of L.A or riding the subway in N.Y. People say he is very polite and friendly when approached.
Read Keanu’s words of wisdom on the next page!
