Erik Cowie ultimately testified against zoo owner Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joe Maldonado-Passage, helping to land him in prison for animal abuse and attempting to have his longtime nemesis, Carole Baskin, murdered. Cowie stayed on with the tigers though, when new owner, Jeff Lowe, who took over the park from Maldonado-Passage.
According to TMZ, Lowe had planned to take Cowie's ashes back to his Oklahoma Zoo and scatter them there, but that's because he didn't think Cowie had any family who would claim the remains. However, a relative did come forward to collect Cowie's ashes. TMZ reported Cowie had two children but he was estranged from them.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 95,000 people die in the U.S. annually due to alcohol-related causes. It is the third-leading cause of preventable death after tobacco use and poor diet combined with physical inactivity.
Tiger King Park's Instagram page has an IGTV tribute and memorial to Cowie. In part, it reads, "Thank you, everyone, for your kind words and sharing a memory of Erik Cowie. He sincerely and truly loved all the animals, especially the big cats. He cared for each and everyone and they all loved and trusted him. He will be incredibly missed." At the end of the slideshow presenting various photos of Cowie, they call him "The real Tiger King."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
