Last night, James Avery, best known as the beloved father and uncle from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, passed away in a Los Angeles hospital, TMZ reports. He was 65.
According to sources, the actor had recently undergone open heart surgery and his health began to decline due to complications. His wife, Barbara, was at the hospital but wasn’t at his bedside at the time of his death.
Avery’s fellow Fresh Prince co-star Alfonso Riberio shared a touching note on Facebook saying he was a “wonderful father figure.”
“The world has lost a truly special man,” wrote Riberio. “I am very saddened to say that James Avery has passed. Even though he played my father on TV, he was a wonderful father figure to me in life. He will be deeply missed.”
Sending our prayers and thoughts to the Avery family today.