In his documentary “Sly,” Sylvester Stallone reflects on the tragic death of his son Sage Stallone. Here’s what happened and what Stallone said about it.

• In the Netflix documentary “Sly,” Sylvester Stallone reflects on his relationship with his deceased son.

• Sage Stallone, who appeared alongside his father in “Rocky V,” died in 2012 at the age of 36.

• Here you can find out everything you need to know about him and the circumstances of his death.

Sylvester Stallone suffered a devastating loss in 2012 when his eldest child, Sage Stallone, died.

Sage, who starred alongside his father in the 1990 film Rocky V, was his first child with his first wife Sasha Czack. The two have another son named Seargeoh Stallone.

Sage was also the half-brother of Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet Stallone, whom the 77-year-old “Expendables” star had with his third wife Jennifer Flavin.

After making his acting debut at age 14 as the son of the title character, Robert Balboa Jr., in the fifth “Rocky” film, Sage also appeared in the films “The Evil Inside Me,” “Vic” and “Daylight,” which his father also starred in. As an adult, he also worked as a director and executive producer.

He was 36 years old when he died.

How did Sage Stallone die?

On July 13, 2012, authorities found Sage dead in his home in Studio City, Los Angeles. Both the New York Post and TMZ, which first reported the news, speculated, citing anonymous sources close to the actor, that Sage had a problem with prescription drugs and died of a pill overdose.

Before authorities answered questions about Sage’s cause of death, his father publicly appealed to the media to stop “speculation and questionable reports” about his son’s cause of death, CNN reported.

“Because there is no greater pain than when a parent loses a child,” Stallone told the outlet.

“So I ask people to respect the memory of my wonderfully talented son and to feel compassion for his loving mother Sasha, as this painful loss will stay with us for the rest of our lives,” he continued. “Sage was our first child and the center of our universe, and I humbly ask everyone to leave my son’s memory and soul in peace.”

Less than a month after his death, a Los Angeles County coroner’s office spokesperson announced that Sage’s cause of death was heart disease due to atherosclerosis, not drugs, CNN reported. Toxicology testing revealed that Sage had no drugs in his system at the time of his death, except for a small, “subtherapeutic” amount of hydrocodone, commonly sold under the brand name Vicodin, People reported.

As Insider previously reported, atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries, is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease.

In July 2012, People interviewed Sage’s friends, who told the newspaper that he often preferred junk food and cigarettes and was addicted to prescription drugs. They also said that Sage had a complicated relationship with his father.

In an interview with People published in December 1996, Stallone said his son “avoids the gym like the plague,” while Sage added, “People call me a hermit, but I’m happy.”

Sage’s funeral was held on July 21, 2012, at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles, and he is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, according to The Daily Mail.

What does Sylvester Stallone say about Sage in his Netflix documentary?

“Sly,” which was released on Netflix on Friday, reflects Stallone’s life and career in Hollywood.

At one point, he discusses the parallels between his relationship with his late son and that between Rocky Balboa and Rocky Jr., as portrayed in Rocky V. In the film, Rocky’s mentorship of boxing prodigy Tommy, played by Tommy Morrison, leaves his son feeling abandoned.

When asked if he drew on his own experiences when writing this storyline, Stallone replied, “Unfortunately, yes.”

“You know, unfortunately you put things above your family and the effects are quite radical and devastating,” he added.

Sylvester Stallone says “Rocky V” was “too personal”

In the documentary, Stallone described the storyline surrounding Tommy and Rocky Jr. as “almost too personal.”

Stallone’s friend, director John Herzfeld, said Stallone cast his real son in the role in the film to help him break into acting.

“He brought his son Sage in. He wrote him in. He wanted to give him that chance that was so hard for Sly to get,” Herzfeld said.

Read the original article on Insider