Dango Nguyen, a onetime Georgia firefighter who appeared on the third season of “The Walking Dead,” has died at the age of 48, his former fire department said.
The Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services announced the news on its Facebook page over the weekend.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we mourn the loss of one of our former firefighters. Dango Nguyen passed away early this morning after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Dango was a member of our department for almost 20 years,” the post read.
“Dango was a sergeant with our department when he left to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and other interests. But, once you're a firefighter, you're always part of our family. And Dango was a very well known member of our family."
Fans of “The Walking Dead” will remember Nguyen for his role as a bodyguard, tasked with protecting the Governor and the townspeople of Woodbury from Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln. He used the stage name Dango Nu Yen.
After his stint on the AMC hit, he appeared on the TV series "The Originals" and "MacGyver." He also worked as a stuntman on a number of projects, including "Mile 22" with Mark Wahlberg and "The Red Road" with Jason Momoa.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Michelle, his family, and all of his friends," the fire department said in its Facebook post. "He touched many lives. We will all remember his quick wit, high energy, and unwavering determination. We all aspire to be ‘Dango Strong.’”
Nguyen's death is the latest to hit "The Walking Dead" family. Last year, Scott Wilson, who played Herschel Greene on the hit AMC series, passed away at the age of 76.