Scott Baio on Happy Days Co-Star Erin Moran: For Me, You Do Drugs or Drink, Youre

Publish date: 2024-02-23

It’s been two days since “Happy Days” star Erin Moran was found dead in her New Salisbury, Indiana home, and her former co-star Scott Baio is already questioning what really killed the 56-year-old actress.

Monday morning, the Harrison County Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s Department issued a joint statement saying Moran passed due to complications with her stage 4 cancer. The statement added there were no illegal narcotics found at the scene, but Baio thinks her lifetime of drugs and alcohol abuse may have had something to do with her untimely death.

During an interview with “The Bernie & Sid Show,” also Monday, Baio admitted he was “not completely shocked” by his “Joanie Loves Chachi” co-star’s passing.

“I’m OK, a little shocked but not completely shocked that this happened. My thing is, I feel bad because her whole life, she was troubled, could never find what made her happy and content. For me, you do drugs or drink, you’re gonna die. I’m sorry if that’s cold, but God gave you a brain, gave you the will to live and thrive and you gotta take care of yourself.”

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This is a stark contrast to his original statement on Twitter Sunday morning:

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My sincere condolences. #ErinMoran #HappyDaysFamily pic.twitter.com/5b0AbioZEc

— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) April 23, 2017

“May people remember Erin for her contagious smile, warm heart, and animal loving soul,” Baio tweeted in tribute over the weekend.

During his interview with the WABC radio show, Baio added, “I’m saddened by what happened. I don’t know if it was drugs that killed her, I read one report said it might have been and I hope it… I don’t know what I hope. It’s what it is. What can you do?”

But while Baio may not be completely compassionate regarding Moran’s demons, he admitted he did not know for certain her cause of death.

“I knew Erin well, over the last many years I have not spoken with her. She was just an insecure human being and fell into this world of drugs and alcohol. Again, I don’t know if that’s what killed her, I’m sure it was a culmination of years and years of doing it that might have had something to do with it. She just never found her way.”

“How do you help somebody that doesn’t want to help themselves? You try a couple of times and if they don’t want the help, I gotta go, sorry.”

He also made sure to drive home the point that he’s never had a drug problem himself.

“I never did drugs. I never was interested in drugs, it never intrigued me. I had parents and a brother and sister who were straight arrows and my father, God rest his soul, said to me, ‘You do drugs, I’ll kill you.’ Aside from Erin, everybody on that show, as far as I know, I never saw drugs or alcohol. I just, there was no reason for me to do it. My parents set me right, that’s the best thing you could have.”

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