\n Adam Rich<\/span> Eric Charbonneau\/BEImages\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Former child star Adam Rich has reportedly died<\/a>. He was 54.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Eight Is Enough\u00a0<\/i>alum was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Saturday, January 7, according to a TMZ<\/a> report that cited a family member.<\/p>\n A cause of death has not been announced at the time of publication.<\/p>\n Rich rose to fame as a child actor<\/a>, notably playing youngest Bradford child Nicholas on the sitcom\u00a0Eight Is Enough<\/i>.\u00a0The ABC series\u00a0ran for five seasons between 1977 and 1981, chronicling the adventures of the Bradford brood\u2019s eight children. Dick Van Patten, Connie Needham<\/strong>, Grant Goodeve<\/strong>, Willie Aames<\/strong>, Lani O\u2019Grady and Laurie Walters<\/strong> also starred.<\/p>\n \u201cI think [Adam was one of the reasons that the show] was a big success,\u201d Van Patten, who died in 2015 at the age of 86, recalled of working with his former TV son in a throwback\u00a0Archive of American Television\u00a0<\/i><\/a>interview. \u201cPeople loved him. They named their child \u2018Nicholas\u2019 and everything because of him.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cHe was like 7 years old [when we started the show] and he was cute and he was a good actor<\/a>. He was very natural.\u201d<\/p>\n Van Patten also revealed that he kept in touch with Rich \u2014 and his other TV children \u2014<\/a> \u201cevery once in a while\u201d via phone calls since they are all \u201cspread out\u201d throughout the United States.<\/p>\n Rich continued acting through the years, booking brief TV roles on\u00a0The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, CHiPs, Silver Spoons\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0Baywatch<\/i><\/a>. The\u00a0Code Red\u00a0<\/i>alum had taken a step back from the spotlight in recent years, though frequently used his platform to advocate for mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHuman beings weren\u2019t built to endure mental illness. The mere fact that some people consider those to be weak, or have a lack of will is totally laughable because it\u2019s the total opposite,\u201d the\u00a0Dungeons & Dragons<\/i>\u00a0actor tweeted in September 2022. \u201cIt takes a very, very strong person\u2026 a warrior if you will\u2026 to battle<\/a> such illnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n Rich retweeted his message the following December after it was confirmed that dancer Stephen \u201ctWitch\u201d Boss<\/a> died by suicide at the age of 40<\/a>. \u201cThe only thing those suffering from a mental illness know how to do is pretend to be OK,\u201d he wrote via Twitter<\/a> at the time. \u201cEnough! The stigma is killing people. Be yourself. OK, or not OK, is the only way to create change, & stomp the stigma! Heal your truth.\u201d<\/p>\n If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the\u00a0988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline\u00a0<\/a>at 988.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Former-Eight-Is-Enough-Child-Star-Adam-Rich-Dead-at-54-Report-Inline-2.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Adam Rich in \u2018Eight Is Enough.\u2019<\/span> Lorimar\/Kobal\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n