Joey Kovar, Star Of 'Real World: Hollywood,' Found Dead At 29

Joey Kovar, 29, former star of MTV's Real World: Hollywood, was found dead in his hometown of Chicago on Friday. Kovar's good looks and propensity to partying made him a fan favorite on the 2008 season of Real World, when he only 24. He battled substance abuse problems most of his adult life and even had to leave the show at one point to seek treatment, but eventually returned. In 2009, Kovar was featured on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab 3 and admitted to relapsing and using cocaine and ecstasy again.

Published reports suggested that the suspected the cause of death was drug-related, though family members have denied this assertion.

Kovar's final confessional for Real World offered haunting reflections on his past and his desire to conquer his addictions. “I hope that every single person understands that I have to go," he said. "I need to go… I don’t want to relapse. I don’t want to drink anymore. I don’t want to use drugs anymore. I want to stay clean and stay sober and I want to live a long time. I’ve been in jail, I’ve been in an institution now, which is rehab, my next step is death and I don’t want to die."

Watch Joey Kovar's final confessional here: