Reading Time: 2 minutes
We have tragic news to report from the world of television today.
Grizz Chapman — the actor who played Tracy Morgan’s lovable bodyguard on 30 Rock — passed away on Friday at the age of 52.
Now, new information has emerged about Chapman’s harrowing final days.
The news comes courtesy of Chapman’s manager, Renee Glicker, who has shed light on the severe health struggles the actor had reportedly been battling behind the scenes for years.
According to TMZ, Chapman had been dealing with a number of serious medical issues and was, in the words of his manager, was “just struggling to stay alive.”
Glicker told the outlet that the actor had received a kidney transplant back in July 2010, but later needed a second transplant.
Finding a match reportedly proved especially difficult because of Chapman’s extraordinary size — the actor stood nearly seven feet tall.
At this point, Chapman’s exact cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
However, his manager reportedly believes there were likely multiple contributing factors tied to his declining health.
News of Chapman’s death first surfaced Thursday, when his longtime representative confirmed that the actor had passed away, leaving behind a grieving wife and two children.
His cousin, Harlem Globetrotter Donte “Hammer” Harrison, later shared that Chapman had spent years battling illness and dialysis treatments and died peacefully in his sleep.
For sitcom fans, Chapman will always be remembered as one-half of Tracy Jordan’s unforgettable entourage alongside Dot Com on 30 Rock, where he appeared in dozens of episodes during the show’s acclaimed seven-season run.
His chemistry with Tracy Morgan helped turn a supporting role into a fan favorite.
Beyond 30 Rock, Chapman also appeared in shows such as Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and The Good Fight, while also creating his own YouTube sketch series, Grizz Chroniclez.
Our thoughts go out Chapman’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.