Obi Ndefo, who played Bodie in “Dawson’s Creek,” has died.
His sister, Nkem Ndefo, confirmed his death in an Instagram post on August 31, sharing a photo of the two.
“Heartbroken over the loss of my younger brother,” she wrote with a broken heart emoji. “And I know he has finally found peace.”
Obi Ndefo appeared in “Dawson’s Creek” from 1998 to 2002, playing Bodie Wells, the brother-in-law of Katie Holmes’ character Joey Potter.
When Holmes heard the news of his death, she paid tribute to her former co-star in an Instagram story.
“He was wonderful to work with and such a kind man,” Holmes wrote. “I send prayers and grace to his family. Rest in peace.”
Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Gail Leery, the mother of James Van Der Beek’s character Dawson, released a video collage full of videos and photos of her time on “Dawson’s Creek” on September 1.
“These words are not easy for me 💔I find it hard to comprehend that you have left us my dear friend,” she wrote. “You were and will always be a shining light. What an example of pure, unfiltered love and perseverance you have been as you have faced life’s challenges of late.”
She added: “I will cherish all our messages of love and support for each other over the years. Rest in peace, sweet warrior.”
In a separate post, Obi Ndefo’s sister wrote that he died “early Wednesday morning” in Los Angeles.
While Obi Ndefo’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, Nkem Ndefo wrote in her post: “Tragically, Obi’s heart has failed after a long-term battle with the eating disorder orthorexia.”
She said the family shared the news to “raise awareness of the severity of the disorder and in the hope that those suffering from this devastating disease receive the compassionate care they deserve.”
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, orthorexia is an “obsession with proper or ‘healthy’ eating.” The fixation on “healthy eating” can lead to food restriction, which can have health consequences such as malnutrition.
Obi Ndefo’s death came five years after an accident in which he lost his legs. In 2019, Obi Ndefo was struck by a speeding SUV as he was packing his groceries into the trunk of his car, the Los Angeles Times reported. His legs had to be amputated and his surgeon called his survival a “miracle.”
Obi Ndefo is also known for his roles as Drex in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, Kelemane in “Star Trek: Voyager” and Rak’nor in “Stargate SG-1”.
He also appeared in the television series “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “The West Wing,” “Over the Moon, Just Left” and “The Wayans Bros.”
