Nick Cordero Dead at 41 From Complications Caused By Coronavirus

Nick Cordero, who starred in numerous Broadway plays, died of complications caused by coronavirus at the age of 41. He leaves behind wife Amanda Kloots and son Elvis.

By McKenna Aiello, Cydney Contreras Jul 06, 2020 1:06 AMTags
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Broadway star Nick Cordero has died at the age of 41. 

The theater star's wife, fitness guru Amanda Kloots, confirmed the tragic news in a statement shared to Instagram on Sunday, July 5. She wrote, "God has another angel in heaven now. My darling husband passed away this morning. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth."

"I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere," Kloots shared. "My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him. Nick was such a bright light. He was everyone's friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday."

Kloots then thanked her husband's medical team, writing, "To Nicks extraordinary doctor, Dr. David Ng, you were my positive doctor! There are not many doctors like you. Kind, smart, compassionate, assertive and always eager to listen to my crazy ideas or call yet another doctor for me for a second opinion. You're a diamond in the rough."

Nick's death comes nearly four months after he was admitted to the intensive care unit in late March. At the time, doctors were unable to confirm whether or not his "pneumonia-like symptoms" were caused by the coronavirus, as the first test came back negative. However, days later a second test revealed he had indeed contracted COVID-19.

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"He is scared, in the ICU and now unconscious so his body can get enough oxygen," Amanda wrote at the time. "We are all trying to stay positive and strong knowing that he is in the best care. I miss him terribly. I'm not allowed there to visit of course and can do nothing to help him. Nick is scared too, this has gone from bad to worse."

Nick's illness continued to worsen over the time as he remained in a medically induced coma. At one point, Amanda revealed he needed to be resuscitated after an infection triggered a potential deadly sequence of events. In addition, the actor was "struggling" to recover as the coronavirus was causing issues with blood flow to his lower extremities. Eventually, the doctors caring for Nick were forced to amputate his right leg.

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By late April, Nick officially recovered from COVID-19, having tested negative twice, but the long-term effects of the virus were just beginning to prevent his full recovery. 

Doctors told Amanda that Nick's lungs were so "severely damaged" that they resembled that of a lifelong smoker's. However, he became well enough to be taken off the ventilator. On May 12, Nick officially regained consciousness and began responding to simple commands.

"Everything is looking good finally," Amanda shared on Instagram at the time. "It's so hard with this whole thing. You don't want to get yourself too excited because it's been such a road. What a miracle."

But a week later, Amanda's hope began to dwindle as Nick's recovery went a "little downhill."

Amanda Kloots/Instagram

"So I am asking again for all the prayers right now," she told her followers in a video. "Please sing, please cheer, and please pray for Nick today. I know that this virus is not going to get him down. This is not how his story ends."

Just last week, during a virtual interview with CBS This Morning's Gayle King, the 38-year-old shared more insight into her husband's fight. "In a perfect world—because we are hoping for a perfect world—our ultimate, ultimate goal would be to get him to be a candidate for a double lung transplant," she explained. "We think that that is most likely the possibility, 99 percent chance that he would be needing that in order to live the kind of life that I know my husband would want to live. That is a long road away."

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"They told me four times he won't survive, saying he won't survive through the night. But he has. He has," she continued. "I believe, Gayle, that God is the only person that's going to decide when and if my husband goes. So I will never try to play that role. He's fighting, I see it every day. Nick's doctor sees it and as long as he's in there and fighting, I'll continue to fight with him."

Nick was known for numerous roles in Broadway musicals such as Bullets Over Broadway, Rock of Ages, Waitress and A Bronx Tale. In recent years, he appeared on TV shows such as Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Amanda's Instagram post concluded, "I cannot begin to thank everyone enough for the outpour of love, support and help we've received these last 95 days. You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3pm everyday as the world sang Nicks song, Live Your Life. We sang it to him today, holding his hands. As I sang the last line to him, 'they'll give you hell but don't you light them kill your light not without a fight. Live your life,' I smiled because he definitely put up a fight. I will love you forever and always my sweet man."

He leaves behind his Amanda and their 1-year-old son Elvis.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and for tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, please visit The Center for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov. To plan your vaccine, head to NBC's Plan Your Vaccine site at PlanYourVaccine.com.