After doctors amputated the leg of Nick Cordero following complications from his coronavirus diagnosis, fans of the Broadway and Blue Bloods actor have rallied round the family in an effort to help them with expenses amid the trying time. Cordero, who played mob boss, Victor Lugo on the CBS police procedural, was experiencing complications during treatment for Covid-19 late in the week, which led to internal bleeding and blood pressure issues. As part of the difficulties experienced, doctors revealed the Canadian actor would have to have his leg amputated due to clotting.
Organized by a team of three on the website, GoFundMe for Cordero, his wife, Amanda Kloots and their son, Elvis, the fundraiser has already raised more than $331,000 of its $350,000 goal among a little more than 5,700 fans as of this writing. In a description for the fundraiser, the message reads that amid Cordero’s ongoing battle with COVID-19, “it seems every time he takes a step forward he takes two steps back.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“He is hooked up to a ventilator, dialysis machine and ECMO while doctors are having trouble getting blood flow to his leg, and even waking him up,” the fundraiser states. “If he does wake up, he may never walk again. But behind him, resiliently cheering him on from a distance — dancing and rallying the world to send him positive energy and love are his wife Amanda Kloots and son Elvis, who is 10 months.
“Amanda is always one of the first to offer assistance to those in need,” the message continues. “She brings kindness to people every day through her fitness training videos and social media following, so we are asking you to contribute to help her now! She needs to pay for the hospital bills which are already starting to come in by donating here.”
The fundraiser encourages for its supporters to “join” in by singing and dancing every day at 6 p.m. ET to wake him up. “Any support is appreciated. Amanda Nick and Elvis are a ray of light for so many — let’s support them in their time of need.”
On Saturday night, Kloots revealed the surgery was successful and her husband is currently resting: “We got Nicks song on the radio guys! Thank you to [Steven Van Zandt] every night at 6pm EST on [Sirius XM] channel 21!!! Holy Moly!!! AND right after we finished singing tonight I got a phone call from the hospital saying that Nick made it out of surgery alive and he is headed to his room to rest and recover! AMEN! He is hearing us!!! He is hearing the support, the love and your voices everyday. I just know it. Thank you God for watching over him and for the incredible doctors and nurses [Cedars Sinai] hospital! [heart emoji] I may sleep tonight.”
Kloots has been a steady presence on social media since the Blue Bloods actor was first hospitalized. As she revealed in an April 1 Instagram post, Cordero was originally diagnosed with pneumonia but, as his condition worsened, they suspected COVID-19 was the true cause.
For a number of years, Cordero has been a fixture on the Broadway stage, with starring roles in Waitress, Rock of Ages and A Bronx Tale. He earned a Tony Award nomination for Bullets Over Braodway.
