Heath Ledger's friend: "we saw it coming"

Heath Ledger's death has left Hollywood reeling, and his friends shaken.

"I had such great hope for him," says Mel Gibson, a fellow Australian. "He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."

"This is terrible and I'm in shock," a close friend of Ledger's said "But to tell you the truth... we saw it coming."

"Heath has gone though a rough road of trying to get sober," the source tells Us Weekly.

"Things were very dark," the source says. "His one joy was Matilda."

Matilda is his 2-year-old daughter with Michelle Williams. They broke-up in September.

"Everything else was misery for him," adds the source. "Unfortunately he was too late in getting help."

Ledger, 28, died just days after the death another young actor, 25-year-old Brad Renfro.

Ledger - who was nominated for an Academy Award for his appearance in Brokeback Mountain, stars in the upcoming Batman feature The Dark Knight as the Joker, and was shooting The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus at the time of his death.

"Heath Ledger was a courageous actor, and a great soul. He gave us the gift of sharing his fearless and beautiful love – of his craft, and of all who worked with him – for which all of us will be eternally grateful," says James Schamus, Chief Executive of Focus Features and the the producer of Brokeback Mountain.

In a statement issued by Warner Bros., which is producing The Dark Night, Alan Horn, president and COO of Warner Bros., and Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said: "The studio is stunned and devastated by this tragic news. The entertainment community has lost an enormous talent. Heath was a brilliant actor and an exceptional person. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."

Meanwhile, it has been revealed thar Ledger was found naked and unconscious in his bed by his maid.

The shocked maid, who went into his bedroom after a masseuse arrived for a scheduled appointment, immediately called 911 services and paramedics rushed to the Manhattan apartment.

Once there medics moved his body, which was surrounded by prescription pills, onto the floor where they desperately tried to revive him.

But they were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.