The Broadway star had been in the hospital since end of March. During that time, he underwent multiple health complications.
Imagine a young wife and mom having to hear about her husband through doctors unable to be next to him while he is fighting for his life in the hospital. Consider the heartbreak of hearing the news that she will never see him again and having to tell her1-year-old son that his father is no more. The virus, which has become a global pandemic, took the life of broadway star Nick Cordero after he suffered multiple complications. His wife, Amanda Kloots, has confirmed that the 41-year-old actor and singer passed away on July 5.
The Rock of Ages actor was first admitted to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in late March after being diagnosed with pneumonia. On March 31, Kloots had revealed that he was in intensive care and was having a "hard time breathing," according to Daily Mail. A few days later, it was confirmed that he had coronavirus, and he has has a tumultuous journey during the past few months.
"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. 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, every day," she said on Instagram.
She also thanked Cordero's doctor, Dr. David Ng for his support, "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." She then went on to thank her online community for giving her strength.
"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 3 pm every day 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 let 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," she added.
Kloots, a fitness influencer, had revealed to BuzzFeed previously that with Cordero in the hospital, she became the sole caretaker of their then-10-month-old son, Elvis. She had said that "my husband lost his job, we're gonna have hospital bills, and we have a mortgage and we have a car payment and I have to do my best to keep up my business as much as possible because it is my only income at the moment."
Cordero had struggled through multiple complications while he was at the hospital, including an amputation. Shortly after he was admitted to the hospital, he was placed on a ventilator. "He said, 'I love you, they have decided to put me on a ventilator with a breathing tube and I’m gonna go unconscious and I don’t know when I’ll wake up, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to talk to you again,'" Kloots told BuzzFeed.
A few days later, Cordero needed to undergo emergency surgery as the ventilator was obstructing blood flow to his right leg. He survived the surgery but his right leg was amputated one week later on April 18, as per Daily Mail. He had to be installed with a temporary pacemaker, faced lung infection that created holes in his lungs, and last week Kloots revealed that he would require a double lung transplant.
His lungs look like "he's been a smoker for 50 years. They're that damaged. There are holes in his lungs where obviously you don't want holes to be," said Kloots. He also experienced two small strokes a few weeks later.
In June, she was finally able to meet him after almost 80 days, during which time he had lost almost 65 lbs. On July 2, his temporary pacemaker was removed and on July 5, he passed away. Unlike many others who fought the disease, he wasn't alone in his last moments.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with their medical expenses.
References:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/amanda-kloots-husband-coronavirus-instagram
