After 'Mighty Ducks' Star Arrest, Friend Shares Insight Into Actor's Longtime Struggle With Addiction
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Many have seen the headlines about a child actor who found himself behind bars for breaking into a house in Yuba County.
Shaun Weiss, who's better known as the beloved "Mighty Ducks" goalie Goldberg, reportedly broke into a man's garage and sat in the back seat of his car in Marysville earlier this week. Officers said he was high on methamphetamine.
CBS13 spoke with Weiss' friend and fellow actor Drew Gallagher, who has documented Weiss' struggle through photos and video. Everything from breakfast at Denny's to walking into a rehab facility.
"He's not just some junkie who loves getting high more than having a lustrous career. It's that he's mentally ill," Gallagher said.
The night Weiss was arrested in Marysville, he'd been left in the streets by a family member who couldn't care for him, according to Gallagher. A fresh start turned right back to desperation.
"He had nobody. He's in pajamas. She just dumped him outside a Salvation Army at night," Gallagher said.
At the core of Weiss' struggle is drugs, homelessness and mental illness triggered by the death of his father. Gallagher said Weiss also suffers from diabetes and doesn't have stable access to medication. At just 110 pounds, most of the help Weiss gets is stolen out on the streets.
"It's a dog-eat-dog world and he's just fending for himself and he's getting his butt kicked every single week, if not daily," Gallagher said.
Shaun Weiss struggle for recoveryEveryone's seen the headlines. Movie star Shaun Weiss arrested for breaking into a garage in Yuba County. Turns out, there's so much more to this story than we know. It's not just a drug addiction battle. I hope my story for CBS13 CBS Sacramento tonight gives you something to consider. I spoke to Weiss' close friend tonight, a fellow actor who's been by his side for years trying to help. He documents the good and the bad. Where some people see pity, he sees hope.
Posted by Anna Giles CBS13 on Friday, January 31, 2020
His battle for health is documented in photos and videos. But even at his worst, living in a van, Weiss can be seen in cellphone videos cracking jokes about his reality. Where some people see pity, Gallagher chooses to see hope.
"Shaun is not blameless, he's not going to tell you that he's blameless. But he's asking for help, so at what point do you just stop answering the phone? And for me that's never," Gallagher said.
Weiss was still in the Yuba County jail Friday night, but he has a lot of help waiting for him when he gets out. Gallagher has organized a GoFundMe and said Lindsay Lohan's father has offered to provide rehab for Weiss free of charge.