21 Star Trek Actors Who Died In 2024
6. Obi Ndefo - 28th August 2024
Obi Ndefo appeared as two different characters in Star Trek. First, he played Drex, son of Martok (and named for Doug Drexler) in The Way Of The Warrior. He then returned to the franchise as Kelemane in the Voyager episode Blink Of An Eye.
Ndefo inspired people after his accident in 2019. While he was loading groceries into his car, a drunk driver slammed into him. One of his legs was severed on impact, while the other had to be amputated. However, he would take this experience and funnel it into living positively - something he was open about, particularly as he taught yoga after the fact.
Some would know him best from his appearances on Dawson's Creek or Stargate SG-1, or even his solitary appearance in Angel.
Ndefo suffered from a condition called Orthorexia Nervosa, which is categorised by an obsession with the quality of the food one puts in their body. This can lead to malnutrition and, in some cases, even death. Ndefo's sister, Nkem, shared this on social media in the hopes that something positive could be found in his death. The condition is rare and the term itself was coined as recently as 1997.
Ndefo was 51 years old when he died.