Chris Farley’s cousin Jim Farley knew he was struggling, but his death still came as an unexpected shock.
Though the late comedian still remains a touchy subject, the Ford CEO, 62, opened up about his relationship with Chris and how the pressures of fame that plagued the former Saturday Night Live star after he made it big.
Known in the Farley family as it’s certified goofball, Jim told The Detroit News that Chris was a trouble maker who always made people laugh with his “live in the moment, let’s have fun’ type-of mannerisms.”
“He was always very physical, and he always loved taking over the bar, taking over the family function, taking over the airport if he could,” he explained, recalling moments like when Chris started a Cinnabon fight in the Chicago O’Hare Airport. “He was always performing, always.”
When Chris got his big break on the late night sketch show, his career took off but he began struggling with his mental health. The pressure to remain “on” and live up to lofty expectations made him “so overwhelmed” and he used drugs and alcohol to cope.
“On the one hand, [fame] gave him a great way to touch a lot of people’s lives with comedy, which really made him happy,” Jim explained. “He loved people coming up to him and telling him about how he made their life a little better because they had a snicker or a laugh. But at the same token, the pressure was a lot because he had to always be funny on the spot.”
The auto executive revealed that he would often be Chris’ first call for help when he needed him. Finding “comfort and peace in religion,” if Chris needed guidance from priest, he would call Jim. In addition to accompanying him on talk shows and other events, Jim would be Chris’ go-to-person to take him to rehab facilities and visit him as he sought treatment for substance abuse.
When Jim’s career took him to Europe, the outlet reported that Chris “went off the deep end” when he was no longer accessible.
In 1997, Jim recalled driving to work in Brussels when he learned of Chris’ death on the radio, just a week before Christmas. At age 33, Chris tragically died of a drug overdose on Dec. 18, two years after his memorable run on Saturday Night Live.
“I heard it on the news. I didn’t even hear it from my family,” he sighed. “‘Chris Farley has died in Chicago.’ I was like, ‘What?‘ It was totally devastating.”
“I wish he had met my children because he was so amazing around kids,” Jim continued, noting how he never got to say goodbye. “He would have been such a great uncle. Uncle Chris. He would have been just fantastic. My kids adore him, but they never got to know him.”
Though it’s been nearly 28 years since his death, Jim has continued to honor his late cousin’s memory. In addition to his work as Ford CEO, he’s donated his time and his money to the Pope Francis Center in Detroit.
When the organization opened a new campus in 2024, Jim chose to dedicate a classroom that holds Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Chris’ honor.
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“He would love the fact that there’s people right now in downtown Detroit at the Pope Francis Center dealing with their addiction in the Chris Farley room,” he smiled.
Jim said of Chris’ legacy, “He would be really happy to know how people still think about him. Not his addiction, not his downfall, but his comedy. He would love the fact that people are still watching ‘Tommy Boy.'”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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