By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times –
LOS ANGELES — As investigators seek to determine the cause of Sage Stallone’s death, his father Sylvester Stallone is speaking out for the first time about his loss.
“It’s tough. It’s very, very tough,” Stallone told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “It’s a horrible situation, but time will hopefully heal and you try to get through it, but it’s just something. It’s a reality of life.”
After his son’s death, Stallone canceled all his public appearances for “The Expendables 2.” Now, though, “I think it’s important to get back and start reliving your life. Otherwise, you can go into a spiral,” he said.
The action movie, which opens Friday, features some old friends and industry rivals, including Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren.
The investigation into Sage Stallone’s death remains open until a cause of death is determined, pending tests, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.
The LAPD’s North Hollywood Division went to Sage Stallone’s home, where he was found dead, but the case was reassigned to the elite robbery-homicide division. The division often handles cases that are high-profile or demand resources unavailable to divisional detectives.
A housekeeper found the body of Sage Stallone. According to several sources, pill bottles were found at the residence and investigators were trying to determine their source and whether they had any role in the death.
Born May 5, 1976, in Los Angeles, Sage Moonblood Stallone was the first son of Stallone and actress Sasha Czack. He began his acting career in “Rocky V,” the 1990 installment of the “Rocky” movie franchise. As a 14-year-old, he played Rocky Balboa Jr., son of his father’s Rocky Balboa character.
Young Stallone again appeared with his father in “Daylight” in 1996 and had roles in nine other movies and short films. His most recent appearance was in a 2011 television documentary on the “Rocky” films.
In addition to acting, Sage Stallone was a co-founder with film editor Bob Murawski of Grindhouse Releasing, which specializes in the theatrical and video releases of restored B movies from the 1970s and ’80s.
The company’s catalog includes “An American Hippie in Israel,” “I Drink Your Blood” and “Cannibal Holocaust.” Its latest release was 2010’s “Gone With the Pope.”
