Dango Nguyen, actor who appeared on The Walking Dead & The Originals, dies at 48

Dango Nguyen, a firefighter-turned-actor who appeared on The Walking Dead, died Saturday after a battle with cancer, FOX 5 Atlanta has reported. He was 48.

In the third season of The Walking Dead, Nguyen played a Woodbury guard working under the season’s main villain, the Governor (David Morrissey). He appeared in seven episodes and was ultimately shot by Merle (Michael Rooker) before being devoured by walkers. In addition to being on The Walking Dead, Nguyen also appeared in The Gifted and The Originals.

Prior to being an actor, Nguyen was a member of Georgia’s Athens-Clarke County fire department for nearly 20 years. He was a sergeant with the department before leaving to pursue a career in acting.

“He will always be remembered for his physical and mental strength,” the Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services posted on its Facebook page. “He touched many lives. We will all remember his quick wit, high energy, and unwavering determination. We all aspire to be ‘Dango Strong’.”

Nguyen is survived by his wife Michelle and family.