Obi Ndefo, an American actor of Nigerian descent, has sadly passed away at the age of 51. His death comes years after he suffered a devastating hit- and- run accident that resulted in the loss of both of his legs.

While the exact cause of Ndefo' s death has not been disclosed, tributes from his family and colleagues have begun to pour in on social media. His sister, Nkem Ndefo, expressed her heartbreak in a poignant Facebook post, stating, " Heartbroken at the loss of my younger brother and knowing he' s finally at peace. "

Born in Los Angeles to Nigerian parents, Obi Ndefo was a graduate of Yale University and made a significant mark in the entertainment industry. He is best known for his role as Bodie Wells, the brother- in- law of Katie Holmes' character, in the popular television series *Dawson' s Creek*, which aired from 1998 to 2002. Ndefo also appeared in *Stargate SG- 1* from 2000 to 2005 and had guest roles in notable shows such as *The West Wing*, *NYPD Blue*, *Crossing Jordan*, and *The District*.

Mary- Margaret Humes, who portrayed Gale Leery, Dawson' s mother on *Dawson' s Creek*, shared her grief on Instagram. She wrote, " These words don' t come easy. 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. What an example of pure unfiltered love and tenacity you set as you faced life' s challenges of recent. " Humes reflected on their shared messages of support, concluding with, " Rest in peace, sweet warrior. "