Dango Nguyen, a former firefighter and actor who appeared on “The Walking Dead” died on Aug. 10 “after a hard-fought battle with cancer,” according to Georgia’s Athens-Clarke County Fire department.
Nguyen, known under his stage name Dango Nu Yen, appeared in several episodes of the third season of the Atlanta-based hit show about a zombie apocalypse.
He played a guard for the town of Woodbury who worked for The Governor, a villain who frequently fought with the show’s protagonist Rick Grimes.
#TWDFamily loses former #TheWalkingDead actor Dango Nguyen, who died aged 48 after a cancer battle: https://t.co/GeaskVeiiS pic.twitter.com/QWPX0aEYRR
— Comicbook.com (@ComicBook) August 12, 2019
After his stint on the show ended, Nguyen appeared in other TV shows including “The Red Road” and “Banshee,” according to his IMDB profile.
The actor served on the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department for nearly 20 years before leaving to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, the fire department said in a Facebook post.
He was a sergeant with the department before working as an actor, the post said.
Nguyen had also trained as a professional wrestler prior to becoming a firefighter, according to his IMDB page.
“He will always be remembered for his physical and mental strength,” the Facebook post read. “He was an aggressive and tenacious firefighter and first responder.”
Nguyen is survived by his wife, Michelle, and family, the Athens-Clarke County Fire department said.
Notable Celebrity Deaths in 2019
Beth Chapman
John Singleton
Nipsey Hussle
Luke Perry
Peter Tork
Albert Finney
James Ingram
Longtime R&B singer James Ingram died in late January. Quincy Jones, a collaborator of his, wrote, “With that soulful, whisky sounding voice, James Ingram was simply magical … every beautiful note that James sang pierced your essence and comfortably made itself at home.”
Fatima Ali
“Top Chef” alum Fatima Ali died on Jan. 25, after a battle with terminal cancer. She was 29.
Former “Top Chef” contestant Bruce Kalman paid tribute to her, “It’s with a heavy heart we say goodbye to Fatima Ali today, as she has lost her battle with cancer.”
Carol Channing
Bob Einstein
Comedian and actor Bob Einstein died on Jan. 2 after a battle with cancer. He was 76.
Daryl Dragon
Daryl Dragon, or “Captain,” of pop group Captain and Tennille, died on Jan. 2 of renal failure.
Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
