Fireman Who Left to Star on Walking Dead Dies

A longtime Georgia firefighter who pursued his acting dreams and landed a recurring role on The Walking Dead has died. The Athens-Clarke County fire department posted on Facebook that Dango Nguyen died Saturday morning "after a hard-fought battle with cancer." MSN reports he was 48. Nguyen, who CNN notes was also known by his stage name Dango Nu Yen, was seen in several episodes of the third season of the hit AMC show, playing a guard in the town of Woodbury for the dastardly character known as the Governor. Nguyen's IMDb profile notes he was also a professional wrestler for a time out of high school, as well as a stuntman.

He was seen throughout his acting career in such TV shows as MacGyver, Meet the Browns, and Lodge 49, per 11Alive. The fire department notes Nguyen had been a member of their squad for nearly two decades. "Dango was a sergeant with our department when he left to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and other interests," its post notes. "But, once you're a firefighter, you're always part of our family. ... He was an aggressive and tenacious firefighter and first responder. ... We will all remember his quick wit, high energy, and unwavering determination. We all aspire to be 'Dango Strong.'" (More The Walking Dead stories.)