(Gray News) – Tributes are pouring in for actor Obi Ndefo, who played Bodie Wells in the TV series “Dawson’s Creek” and also had a recurring role in “Stargate SG-1.” He was 51.
Ndefo’s sister, Nkem Ndefo, announced his death on Saturday in a Facebook post, saying she was “heartbroken at the loss of my younger brother.”
Ndefo’s sister said on X that he died Aug. 28. ”Tragically, Obi’s heart gave out in his longstanding battle against the eating disorder orthorexia,” she said.
The disorder is described as an obsession with healthy eating that “may lead to malnourishment, loss of relationships, and poor quality of life,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
She added that they were sharing this information “in the hopes that those suffering from this devastating disease receive the compassionate care they deserve.”
In addition to his best-known roles, Ndefo appeared in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “The West Wing” and “NYPD Blue,” among other television shows. He also worked as a yoga teacher and started a nonprofit focusing on the arts, Variety reported.
Ndefo lost both legs, and nearly his life, when a SUV hit him in a Los Angeles parking lot in 2019, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The impact of the crash, which happened while he was loading groceries, severed one leg. The other leg was so damaged, it had to be removed, the Los Angeles Times said.
Katie Holmes, who was a costar with Ndefo on “Dawson’s Creek,” paid tribute to him on an Instagram story, Deadline reported.
Another costar, Mary-Margaret Humes, also spoke of her grief in an Instagram post, saying, “What an example of pure unfiltered love and tenacity you set as you faced life’s challenges of recent. I will cherish all of our messages of love and support to each other over the past few years. Rest in peace sweet warrior.”
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