Celebrity Rehab’s Jeff Conaway taken off of life support

In sad news, Grease, Taxi, and Celebrity Rehab veteran actor Jeff Conaway has been taken off of life support according to Radar.

UPDATE – TMZ is reporting that Jeff Conaway died earlier today at the age of 60. They also report that, according to Dr. Drew, his death was not because of an overdose but due to a lifetime of prescription drug abuse.

Conaway has been in a medically induced coma at a Los Angeles area hospital since May 11 with what was rumored to be a drug overdose.  Dr. Drew Pinsky, who attempted to help treat Conaway and assist in his recovery from severe drug and alcohol addictions said that the 60-year-old suffered from pneumonia and sepsis which caused him to initially slip into a coma.

Conaway’s family made the agonizing decision yesterday and sources state that Jeff was in no pain and that there would be no attempts to revive him once the breathing tube was removed.

Conaway first made a name for himself as the unforgettable tough-neck Kenickie in the 1978 musical Grease.  He parlayed that success to a three year run as Bobby Wheeler on the popular TV sitcom classic Taxi.  During his memorable appearance on Celebrity Rehab he revealed a pained adolescence in which he was victimized by child pornographers and pedophiles.

Conaway has lived a hard life but his timeless role as Kenickie in Grease will live on.  In tribute, here is Mr. Conaway and the boys from the mega-hit rocking out “Greased Lightning.”

Photo: Nikki Nelson / WENN.com