Aaron Sorkin Says Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death Saved 10 Lives

Aaron Sorkin in a touching tribute stated that because of Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, 10 lives of drug addicts have been saved. In an essay published in Time, Sorkin also recalled his fondest memories with the late actor. Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment on Sunday Feb. 2.

The essay started with how the two of them had two things in common: they were both fathers of young children as well as recovering drug addicts. He recalled the first time that they met which was on the set of Charlie Wilson's War, the 2007 drama starring Hoffman and written by Sorkin. They used to hold mini-AA meetings while on break. In one of those meetings, Seymour talked about the issue of drug overdose.

"I told him I felt lucky because I'm squeamish and can't handle needles. He told me to stay squeamish.

"He said this: 'If one of us dies of an overdose, probably 10 people who were about to won't.'

"He meant that our deaths would make news and maybe scare someone clean."

In the spirit of that conversation Sorkin wanted to put it out there that the late actor "did not die from an overdose of heroin - he died from heroin."

"We should stop implying that if he'd just taken the proper amount then everything would be fine," Sorkin wrote. "He didn't die because he was partying too hard or because he was depressed - he died because he was an addict on a day of the week with a y in it." 

Near the end of the essay, Sorkin listed the actor's achievements and added the 10 people who were saved by Seymour's death.