Scott Baio Clarifies His Comments About Erin Moran's Death

Scott Baio took to social media Tuesday to clarify what happened when he made seemingly insensitive comments about former “Happy Days” co-star Erin Moran’s death. The actor was on the “Bernie & Sid” show  when he said that people who do drugs or drink are “gonna die.”

“I was asked only about Erin’s troubled past due to drug and alcohol abuse,” Baio wrote on Facebook. “I was still upset and said I felt that living that kind of a lifestyle will catch up with you and nothing good would come of it.”

“This was before the cause of death was announced stating stage 4 cancer,” he continued. 

In the interview, Baio immediately backtracked his comments by saying he wasn’t sure what killed his departed friend. Authorities found Moran in her home on Saturday, but it wasn’t until Monday that the cause of death was declared as “complications with stage 4 cancer.”

Baio said in his Facebook post that he saw incorrect reports attributing Moran’s death to heroin. Moran, who died in her Indiana home, had a troubled history that included partying and bankruptcy. She died at 56 years old and, despite some speculation, there was no evidence that drug abuse resulted in her death.

Baio had posted a sweet condolence on his Twitter account the day before his comments and he did so again in his Facebook statement. He spoke about his relationship with Moran and his attempts to grieve her loss. Baio wrote that he has had issues sleeping since the news over his friend’s death broke.

“I’m also trying to process this loss,” Baio wrote. “Erin was my very first real girlfriend. My wife and Erin contacted each other and spoke often for over a decade.”