The Wire star Bobby J. Brown has sadly passed away at the age of 62. The TV actor died after getting trapped in a barn fire.
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The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed Brown died from a combination of diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation. They ruled his death accidental. Speaking with People, Brown's daughter, Reina, confirmed his passing.
She learned he passed away in the middle of the night on February 24.
"I was sound asleep. I had gone to bed about two hours before," she told the outlet. "My little sister [was] freaking out, saying that Dad's gone and that he got caught up in a barn fire, and I'm like, 'What do you mean?'"
"I literally went outside and put both my feet on my front walk," she also added. "It's cold, and I stood out in my bare feet in a nightgown because I wanted to make sure I was really awake. I did that to make sure I was in actual reality. And not dreaming this up, and then I did it for a grounding exercise. I couldn't believe it. I was like, this isn't real. And I still don't even feel like it's real."
Upon discovering the fire, Brown reportedly called a family member to bring a fire extinguisher before going out to try to stop the blaze. "Everybody is still trying to process it," she says. "It's been difficult for all of us."
Bobby J. Brown Dies
Despite being gone, Brown will live on in his family's and his daughter's memories.
She said, "I'm his oldest, and I'm also one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and I will say, it's my faith that's keeping me sane right now. My dad was an amazing human being. He was super awesome. He was a pillar in the community, and he's going to be missed by a lot of people."
Meanwhile, Brown's agent, Albert Bramante, also paid tribute to the actor as well. Brown appeared on The Wire as well as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Homicide: Life on the Street and others. He also directed two documentaries.
Bramante said, "Bobby J. Brown was an actor of immense talent and even greater integrity. He approached his work with a discipline and a passion that were truly inspiring to witness."
"While his career included many notable performances, it was his unwavering dedication to the craft of acting that defined him as an artist," Bramante added. "We are deeply saddened by this loss and ask for privacy for his family and loved ones during this time."
