90210 and Port Charles Actor David Gail's Cause of Death Revealed to Be Drug-Related

New details have been released about David Gail's cause of death.

The actor — known for his roles in Port Charles and Beverly Hills, 90210 — died on Jan. 16 at age 58 from anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a brain injury resulting from lack of blood, following resuscitation from cardio pulmonary arrest due to drug intoxication from substances including amphetamines, cocaine, ethanol and fentanyl, according to a statement from Gail's publicist on behalf of his family.

In the statement, Gail's mother, Mary Painter, shared her heartbreak over her son's death.

“It breaks my heart to learn that my son died this way,” Painter said. “David became reliant on medicine many years ago, after multiple surgeries on his hands and wrists. He lived in enough pain to prevent him from working for almost a decade, with relief only achieved through full disability, physical therapy and pain medicine."

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"He struggled to stop taking pharmaceuticals and did before turning toward a more Eastern pain management including acupuncture and natural medicines," she continued. "I can only assume that his former opioid dependence played a part in self-medicating from uncontrolled sources.”

Painter went on to express her hope that David's death would help bring awareness to the dangers of pharmaceutical addiction and the fentanyl epidemic.

“David’s death shines a light on the countless innocent victims of pharmaceutical addiction and the fentanyl epidemic that has taken so many of our sons and daughters,” she added in the statement. “Please keep David, and others battling pain or dependence, in your thoughts and prayers.”

Gail's sister, Kathryn Gail, first announced the news of his death on Instagram on Jan. 20, calling him her "best friend" and "an amazing, fierce human being."

"There’s barely been even a day in my life when you were not with me by my side always my wingman always my best friend ready to face anything and anyone w me," Kathryn wrote alongside a photo of the siblings hugging.

Painter later issued a statement about her son's death as she thanked fans for their condolence messages.

“We are extremely touched by the outpouring of love from David’s dedicated fans and colleagues," she said. "We are grateful for all the support received during this very difficult time."

David, a Florida native, began his acting career in the early 1990s with roles in shows including Growing Pains and Doogie Houser, M.D., according to his IMDB page. He played Stuart Carson, the fiancé of Shannen Doherty’s character Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210, and Dean Collins in Savannah.

From 1999 to 2000, he starred as Dr. Joe Scanlon in more than 200 episodes of the General Hospital spinoff Port Charles.

Gail is survived by his mother, sister and son, Guthier.