Obi Ndefo, American actor of Nigerian heritage, who lost both legs after hit-and-run, dies at 51

His death comes several years after a tragic hit-and-run accident in 2019 led to the loss of both his legs. Ndefo was of Nigerian heritage.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Obi Ndefo, who starred as the quick-witted Bodie Wells across several seasons of Dawson’s Creek, has died. He was 51.

His death was announced on Facebook by his sister, Nkem Ndefo, on Saturday, Aug. 31 . “Heartbroken at the loss of my younger brother and knowing he’s finally at peace,” Nkem wrote alongside a throwback photo of herself and Obi smiling. No cause of death was revealed.

Nkem did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for further comment.

Following the announcement of his death, fellow Dawson’s Creek alum Mary-Margaret Humes paid tribute to Ndefo on Instagram, sharing a video with clips and photos from their tenure on the show.

“These words don’t come easy,” Humes wrote. “It’s hard for me to conceive that you have left us, my dear friend. You always were and always will be a bright shining light.”

She continued, “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.”

Born in 1973, Ndefo was a graduate of Yale University’s drama school. He would land his first onscreen gig in 1995, appearing in a single episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, followed by small roles in The Jamie Foxx Show, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Angel, and Star Trek: Voyager.

When the series debuted in 1998, Ndefo starred on Dawson’s Creek as Bodie, a chef who partnered with Humes’ Gale Leery to run the Capeside fish bistro, Leery’s Fresh Fish. He was also the boyfriend of Bessie Potter (Nina Repeta), the elder sister of Katie Homles’ Joey Potter.

Ndefo would later appear in episodes of NYPD Blue, The West Wing, and Stargate SG-1. He also founded the Los Angeles-based non-profit Arts Alliance for Humanity, which supports arts education in public schools and communities.

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Ndefo’s death comes several years after a tragic hit-and-run accident in 2019 led to the loss of both his legs. The actor was loading groceries into his car in Los Angeles when a speeding drunk driver rammed into him from behind, damaging both legs so severely that amputations were required to save his life, per the Los Angeles Times. 

“This is just so horrendous what happened to me,” he told the outlet in December of that year. “Why would I compound this by feeling bad about it? I didn’t even have to choose positivity.”

Following the accident, a GoFundMe started for his expenses raised more than $287,000 towards the cost of his recovery, and making his Silver Lake home more accessible.

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