A 95-day heartbreaking and inspiring journey ended in tragedy on Sunday when Nick Cordero — surrounded by his family, including his ever-supportive wife Amanda Kloots — died at 41 from COVID-19 complications.
Fans across the world, new and old, had cheered the Tony-nominated Broadway actor for weeks as he first went into the ICU in late March and eventually woke up from a medically induced coma. The supportive squad was led by Kloots, who gave constant updates on her husband — from white blood cell counts to new stem cell treatment.
Through it all, Kloots remained remarkably positive and supportive of her ailing husband all while caring for their son Elvis, who turned 1 last month. Her affection inspired millions and showed a glimpse into the amazing love story the two Broadway actors had created together.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/nick-cordero-d96805df3c4b4be7b890d9442b2e7de9.jpg "Inside Nick Cordero and Amanda Kloots' Amazing Love Story as He Dies at 41: 'My Heart Is Broken' (1)")
Kloots and Cordero met while working on the 2014 musical Bullets Over Broadway, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. At the time, Kloots was still married to her first husband, who she divorced when she was 32.
“We were friends first and then fell in love,” she wrote of her relationship with Cordero on Instagram. “We got married in NYC in 2017 and had Elvis two years later.”
Broadway Star Nick Cordero Dies at 41 After Over 90 Days in Hospital from Coronavirus Complications
Less than a year after Elvis was born, Cordero fell sick and was first admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in late March for what was initially believed to be pneumonia. He was then diagnosed with COVID-19 and experienced a number of complications, including lung infections and septic shock. Amid the actor's hospitalization, he also had his right leg amputated and received a temporary pacemaker for his heart.
Kloots' love for her husband turned into a constant fight for him and his life. She took a special involvement in his care and researched different types of treatment all while hosting daily dance parties with fans and family to send the actor some positivity.
Nick Cordero's Wife Says She's Been 'Told to Say Goodbye' But Is Still Fighting as He Gets 'Slightly Better'
Last month, she recounted how she'd been told to say goodbye to him multiple times, but refused to give up on her husband.
"I’ve been told a couple times that he won’t make it. I’ve been told to say goodbye," Kloots wrote on Instagram. "I’ve been told it would take a miracle."
"Well, I have faith. Faith that is small as a mustard seed sometimes, but that is all you need sometimes," she continued. "He’s still here and despite his odds gets slightly, slightly better every day. Where there is faith, there is hope. Where there is hope, there can be a miracle!"
She leaned on her faith instead and wrote on Instagram that she got her strength from Cordero himself.
"Is this defeating? Sometimes it is, I won’t lie. I wish I would walk into his room and he was able to give me a big smile and hold my hand. But instead of feeling defeated, I turn to feeling determined!" she wrote. "I give him any and all energy I can. I tell him goals that the doctors would like to see. I insist that he CAN do this! People may look at me like I’m crazy. They may think that I don’t fully understand his condition because I’m smiling and singing in his room everyday. I’m just not going to mope around and feel sad for myself or him. That is not what Nick would want me to do. That is not my personality. I fight and I will continue to fight for Nick every single day. With God on our side anything can happen!"
In the end, Kloots announced her husband's death on the platform that drew thousands to his fight, mourning the life they had together.
"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, everyday," she wrote.
In support of Cordero's family, a GoFundMe page was created to raise funds for his medical bills.
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