Dana Plato, best known for her role as Kimberly Drummond on the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, tragically passed away on May 8, 1999. The Dana Plato cause of death was an overdose of prescription drugs, which was ruled a suicide. Plato had struggled with substance abuse and personal issues throughout her life. Her untimely death at the age of 34 marked a sad end to a life that had once held much promise in Hollywood.