Amanda Kloots, Zach Braff and more remember the late Nick Cordero on his birthday: 'I will be singing here on earth to you'
Thursday was tough for the late Nick Cordero’s loved ones, because it marked what would have been his 42nd birthday. Sadly, the Broadway star died July 5, three harrowing months after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Wife Amanda Kloots shared photos and video of him on his last birthday, as he grinned and blew out the candles on his cake during a gathering of friends. She recalled how, at the time, he remarked that he was blessed. Celebrating with those people in that place was a “dream come true” for Cordero, said Kloots, the mother of his 1-year-old son, Elvis.
“I bet you’re having quite the celebration up there, probably singing to everyone,” Kloots said. “Elvis and I will be singing here on earth to you.”
Cordero’s close friend Zach Braff was remembering the same celebration. He noted that Cordero was “so excited” to be a father and a husband, and said he was “taken too soon.” Braff also commented on the coronavirus pandemic overall: “200,000 dead and climbing. What a tragedy.” (As of Thursday morning, the official number was 197,091, according to stats from government and health officials.)
Other Cordero fans, including some recognizable names, left kind words on Kloots’s post.
Carol’s Second Act actress Ashley Tisdale wrote, “We know you’re not far away!”
Selma Blair wrote a lengthy message, noting that she hadn’t known Cordero personally, but she was touched by him just the same. “You did a great job here,” she said. “I am just a witness but your family has become so beloved by more people. Through your connection. Your fight. Your life. Wherever you are... thank you rock star.”
Cordero was honored Sept. 6 with a virtual memorial featuring many of his former colleagues, such as Robert De Niro and Chazz Palminteri. They performed numbers from the many shows Cordero starred in, including Rock of Ages and Bullets Over Broadway, and looked back on his life. They also raised donations for the Save the Music Foundation, supporting music education in public schools, in his name.
On his birthday, fans could find a new album from him, recorded at one of his concerts, Live Your Life: Live at Feinstein’s/54 Below, to benefit his family.
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