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'Our Idiot Brother' actor Matthew Mindler, who died by suicide, struggled with 'crippling anxiety,' mom says

Matthew Mindler, the child star who appeared in 2011's Our Idiot Brother, died by suicide — and his mother is speaking out about his struggle with anxiety.

19-year-old Mindler was a freshman at Millersville University in Lancaster County, Penn. He attended classes on Aug. 24 but was last seen at 8 p.m. that night — with surveillance video showing him leaving his dorm room and walking to a parking lot. On Wednesday, his family couldn't reach him, triggering a search the next day. A team of 40 people combed the area and the former child star's body was found Saturday in a wooded area in nearby Manor Township.

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 22: Actor Matthew Mindler attends The Cinema Society & Altoids screening of The Weinstein Company's
Matthew Mindler at the 2011 premiere of Our Idiot Brother. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Eric S. Bieber with the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office has since confirmed to NBC News that Mindler's death has been ruled a suicide. His cause of death is still "pending toxicology results."

The teen's mother, Monica Mindler, told TMZ that her son struggled with "crippling anxiety" for years. He seemed OK prior to his death, enjoying his first week of college and keeping busy. Mother and son were in contact after he moved in on Aug. 19, and she said he met with an adviser about starting a campus computer/programming club and also scheduled a job interview with the IT department. He was also making friends.

She said their last text exchange was Tuesday night and she told him she planned to pick him up Friday to spend the weekend at home to relax, due to his anxiety struggles. She texted him on Wednesday morning but got no answer. She contacted his dorm for a wellness check and spoke to his roommate that night, but the roommate hadn't seen him. That's when Mindler was reported missing to university police, local police and National Crime Information Center.

Of her son's death, she said, "My heart is crushed and my mind cannot yet fathom this reality.”

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 22:  Actors Matthew Mindler and Paul Rudd attend The Cinema Society & Altoids screening of The Weinstein Company's
Matthew Mindler with Paul Rudd at the Our Idiot Brother premiere. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)

After Mindler's body was recovered, Millersville University President Daniel A. Wubah told students that there was "no public safety threat to the university community," as they waited for the coroner's office to confirm the manner of death.

Wubah also called it a "time of grief for the family, our campus and the community," and provided contact information for support services available to students and staff.

On Tuesday, the school said it was "working with the family to determine a way to honor [Mindler's] life and bring attention to suicide awareness."

Mindler appeared in an episode of the soap opera As the World Turns before landing his role in Our Idiot Brother with a star-studded cast including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel. He hasn't acted since 2016.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.