Living her best life isn’t the only way Madylin Sweeten honors her late brother’s legacy. In 2019, she and her family also restored two run-down theaters in Sawyer’s name, both on the grounds of North Hollywood’s St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Sweeten told People that their Everybody Loves Raymond dad, Ray Romano, contributed to the restoration along with his wife. Also chipping in to the cause was the show’s creator, Philip Rosenthal, and his family.
“My brother told me once that belief in any form is so powerful that it creates our reality and the next reality that we’ll encounter, that believing in heaven and reincarnation is what makes it real,” she said at the dedication ceremony. “That particular belief of his gives me the most joy because he believed in everything so he is everywhere. I urge you, all of you, to come here and find him when you need a light and when you need to believe.”
The theater doesn’t just honor Sawyer; it’s also the new home of Loft Ensemble. “I’m so grateful for my Loft Ensemble family for loving and caring about Sawyer,” Sweeten wrote in an Instagram post following the dedication.