Dana Carvey Speaks Out for the First Time Since Son’s Tragic Death: I’m on the ‘Pain Train’

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Dana Carvey returned to his and David Spade’s podcast, “Fly on the Wall,” for the first time since his son Dex’s tragic death last year. “I thought about this over the holidays and decided to come back to the podcast because I think, you know, it’s a long day when you’re not working and you get in your head,” Dana explained during the Wednesday, January 16 episode. “And I think it’s going to be a great break. And I think it’s really cool to laugh.” 

While thanking fans for the “outpouring” of “very sweet” support, the comedian pointed out that his grief is a private matter and that there is nothing else anyone can do for him and his family. 

“It’s me and my wife and our son’s private journey. We’re all together,” Dana explained. “And we do a lot of fun things. We hike, we go to church. You just want to make sure you keep moving.” 

In addition to Dex, Dana shares his younger son, Thomas, with his wife, Paula Zwagerman. Now that Dana has returned to “riffing” with David on their podcast, he pointed out that being back “is going to be very healthy for me as I recover.”  

“‘Cause I’m kind of on the pain train with about millions of other people on this planet,” the Saturday Night Live alum said. “And you don’t know how long you’re going to be on it or when it will stop or when it will get better. But in the meantime, all of this kind of stuff is very healthy.”

In November 2023, Dana and Paula announced in an Instagram statement that Dex was found dead due to an “accidental drug overdose” at the age of 32 years old. 

“Last night, we suffered a terrible tragedy,” the Instagram post read. “Dex packed a lot into those 32 years. He was extremely talented at so many things-— music, art, film making, comedy- — and pursued all of them passionately. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Dex loved life. And when you were with him, you loved life too. He made everything fun. But most of all, he loved his family, his friends and his girlfriend, Kaylee. Dex was a beautiful person. His handmade birthday cards are a treasure. We will miss him forever.”  

The pair concluded their statement by sending “prayers” to “anyone struggling with addiction or who loves someone struggling with addiction.”