'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' star, Nicholas Brendon, passed away at the age of 54 in his sleep. Here's all you need to know about his health issues, identical twin brother and first wife!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Nicholas Brendon passed away at the age of 54. The news was confirmed by his family, who revealed that the actor died in his sleep. As per the statement, Nicholas was on medication to manage his diagnosis and was hopeful for the future. However, Nicholas's passing sparked a sense of grief around. His role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer was something that helped him to be established as one of the well-known faces in the entertainment world. Amid his demise, let's look into the health issues he faced, along with learning about his identical twin brother and his first wife.
For the unversed, Nicholas Brendon was suffering from several health issues over the years. He had cauda equina syndrome, which is a serious spinal condition that leads to nerve compression in the lower back, and can even cause pain, limited mobility and temporary paralysis. In February 2021, Nicholas underwent surgery for the same, and by August 2021, after he was arrested, the actor suffered paralysis in his genitals and legs, which required him to have another spinal surgery.
During this surgery, reportedly, his spinal cord was punctured, and it resulted in a cerebrospinal fluid leak. In 2022, Nicholas suffered a cardiac arrest involving irregular heartbeats known as tachycardia or arrhythmia. After this, he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also struggled with substance abuse and mental health challenges from his 30s onwards and faced multiple arrests with charges like felony vandalism, resisting officers, criminal mischief, and felony corporal injury to a spouse.
Nicholas Brendon is survived by his twin brother, Kelly Donovan. Kelly was born three minutes before Nicholas. The two brothers appeared together on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for one episode, where 'Xander Harris' was seen in dual roles, one with good qualities, the other with bad. To mention, Kelly began his career behind the scenes, as per IMDb. He was a personal assistant for an independent movie, The Hard Truth and also a set dresser for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was also seen in projects like City Guide and Undressed. He also worked in the Art Department and did some stuntwork, something that he continued to do for the next few years.
While no details about Nicholas Brendon's dating life are known, he was married twice in his life. He didn't date until he was 21 or 22, and it was due to the fear of communicating due to stutter. When he was 25, he had a girlfriend who broke his heart. Well, Brendon then married the actress, Tressa DiFiglia. The duo got married in 2001; however, after five years of their marital bliss, they parted ways in 2006. Tressa DiFiglia is an actress and a writer, who was born in 1971 in Carlsbad, California, USA. The actress is known for her portrayals in movies like Illusion, ER and Weeds. Reportedly, after her marriage to Brendon was over, she found love again and got married to Don Handfield in 2008, and they have been married since then. Reportedly, the couple has two children.
We wish Nicholas Brendon's family strength to deal with this tough time!
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