A day after making an emotional appeal to the public for help finding his son, former "Star Trek" actor Walter Koenig stood before television cameras again on Thursday to announce that his son's body had been found in Vancouver's Stanley Park.
"My son took his own life," he said, fighting back tears. "He obviously was in a lot of pain."
After a search by professional rescue teams earlier this week turned up no sign of 41-year-old Andrew Koenig, who played the role of Richard "Boner" Stabone in the 1980s sitcom "Growing Pains," Koenig's family and friends decided to conduct their own search in the park Thursday morning.
At about noon, they found his body in the woods off Bridal Path, police said.
Andrew Koenig had arrived in Vancouver Feb. 11 to visit friends. He was last seen on Valentine's Day.
Koenig was scheduled to return to his home in California on Feb. 16.
His parents contacted authorities Feb. 18 when he failed to show.
Authorities decided to focus their search in the Stanley Park area because it was an area Koenig enjoyed.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Walter Koenig and his wife, Judith, said their son had been battling depression his entire adult life.
On Thursday, Walter Koenig implored those suffering from depression to seek help.
"If you can learn anything from this, there are people out there who really care. You may not think so -- ultimately it may not be enough -- but there are people who really, really care. Before you make that final decision, check it out again. Talk to somebody," he said, at times struggling to keep his composure.
"For those families who have members who they fear are susceptible to this kind of behaviour, don't ignore it, don't rationalize it.
"Extend a hand."
