Scott Radley: 'God has another angel in heaven now:' Hamilton's Nick Cordero loses COVID fight
Hamiton actor Nick Cordero has lost his long battle with COVID and its after effects.
God has another angel in heaven now," his wife, Amanda Kloots, posted on Instagram on Sunday. My darling husband passed away this morning. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth."
The 41-year-old Westdale Secondary School grad had been in the Intensive Care Ward of Cedars-Sinai Hospital for 13 weeks after acquiring the coronavirus at the end of March.
The ensuing 90-plus days were an excruciating roller coaster for him, his family and his growing legion of fans who were following every twist in the tragic story.
After a trip home to New York City to close an apartment, the Tony Award-nominated Broadway actor - who'd learned much of his craft at Theatre Aquarius camps as a boy - fell ill. Two tests for COVID came back negative but a third determined he had the virus. By this point, he was unconscious and on a ventilator.
What happened since was a horrendous series of calamatous health issues that led doctors to tell Kloots several times he wasn't going to make it. His heart stopped and he had to be revived after his blood pressure plummeted. Circulation issues and blood clots cost him his right leg just above the knee. He suffered a series of small strokes, had to have a temporary pacemaker implanted, had holes develop in his lungs and a variety of other issues.
A couple weeks ago, she said, he'd lost 65 pounds due to his muscles atrophying. While the COVID had passed, the effects never did. Just within the past couple days, Kloots had said a double lung transplant would likely eventually be needed.
Yet each time things looked ominous, he fought back. His battle was at the same time devastating and inspiring. As was Kloots' optimistic outlook that played out daily on Instagram and she gave updates on his condition.
In short order, social media was flooded with supporters following every development and joining her in a nightly singalong and dancealong to his song Live Your Life to keep everyone's spirits up. Their efforts were often filmed on social media which served to broaden interest in his story even further.
Celebrities including Sylvester Stallone eventually jumped on board sending video messages. Broadway casts recorded versions of his song. Bruce Springsteen E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt played it nightly on his satellite radio show.
American TV morning shows soon took interest in his story as did People Magazine and others. And a GoFundMe page for the family has raised over $600,000 for his family.
I cannot begin to thank everyone enough for the outpour of love, support and help we've received these last 95 days," Kloots wrote. You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3 p.m. (6 p.m. Hamilton time) everyday as the world sang Nick's song. 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."
Cordero's mother still lives in Hamilton but had made it to L.A. recently to see him.
Having fought back from desperate situations so often, the news that he had passed away was shocking. By Sunday evening, over 16,000 comments had been registered on Instagram to her post.
I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere," Kloots wrote. 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 being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday."
Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com