Nearly three decades after Chris Farley’s death, the larger-than-life comedian’s funniest SNL lines are still quoted and his best roles are memed and replayed as if he never left. But for his family, especially his brother Tom Farley, the legacy isn’t just about the sketches that made his castmates laugh or the box office hits like Tommy Boy. It’s about the version of Chris they knew offstage and the version they were just beginning to see of the rising Saturday Night Live breakout star emerge before his untimely passing.
In a recent exclusive with People Magazine, Tom Farley opened up about what he misses most about his late brother, who died on December 18, 1997 at age 33 from an apparent drug overdose. For years, Tom says, the memory that came to mind was simple and physical. In his words:
