Wilmer Valderrama Reveals His Dad 'Suffered a Major Heart Attack'
Wilmer Valderrama's father, Balvino Valderrama, suffered a "major heart attack" on Father's Day, the NCIS star revealed on Instagram last month. Valderrama, 42, shared an emotional post, thanking the emergency room doctors and nurses for saving his father's life. The actor noted how his father sacrificed so much to give his family the American dream and taught him to love others.
"Fathers Day, I will remember as the day where my papa and I got another go at it. Last Sunday, my dad suffered a major heart attack," Valderrama wrote on June 23. He recalled thinking that this could be his last day with his father. He wondered if he "loved him hard enough, have I hugged him and told him that he did it.. that he gave his family everything.. that I saw him sacrifice it all, JUST to give us the American Dream."
"You taught me to love people and never give up on them," Valderrama continued. "To be of service, to give all of you knowing that sometimes it will leave you almost empty... then understanding that serendipitously made room for more blessings and light... light that you share endlessly."
Valderrama went on to thank God for letting his family keep his father "for one more run." The actor also thanked the hospital staff for saving his father. "I am beyond grateful and in awe of your care and the miracles you help god deliver," he wrote. He then thanked his father for "fighting to stay."
The former That '70s Show star also shared a message for his fans. He suggested they let the father figures in their lives know how important they are before losing that chance. "Don't let them go without giving them the peace of knowing they will [win] your heart forever," he wrote. "And for you who now have them as your guardian Angel, don't forget to speak to them.. their voice will be with you for the rest of your days."
During a stop on The Drew Barrymore Show in May, Valderrama revealed that he still lives with his parents, even though he is engaged to Amanda Pacheco and they share a daughter. "It's complicated," Valderrama told Barrymore when asked about his living situation. "I'm a Latino man... The end."
"We believe in family," Valderrama continued. "And when I came to the United States back in '93, '94... the sacrifice that my parents had to bring us to America... what they gave up, just for us to be here." Valderrama clarified that he bought two acres of property in Los Angeles during his '70s Show days because he didn't know if he'd ever see that kind of success again. He also bought his neighbor's house, which he gave to his mother.
Valderrama has starred as Nick Torres on NCIS since 2016 and made appearances on NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Hawai'i in crossovers. He is expected to make a cameo return as his '70s Show character Fez in Netflix's That '90s Show sequel series. Last year, he was linked to Disney+'s new Zorro series.
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