Denise Nickerson, Who Played Violet in ‘Willy Wonka,’ Taken Off Life Support

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7/10/2019

Updated:

7/10/2019

An actress who appeared in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” has reportedly been taken off life support, TMZ reported on July 10.

The report noted that Denise Nickerson, who played Violet in the 1971 classic film, suffered a stroke in 2018.

According to her family, on July 9, Nickerson “got into her meds at home and took as many as she could” while at home, TMZ said. The report didn’t elaborate on what exactly happened.

Her family then took her to the hospital emergency room.

Doctors diagnosed Nickerson with pneumonia before she suffered a massive seizure on July 10. Doctors then placed her on life support, the report noted.

After that, her condition worsened before her family took the actress off her respirator, stopped giving her medicine, and removed her IVs.

Her family started a GoFundMe, which said, “We are Denise’s only immediate family and caretakers. Last year, you may have heard that Denise suffered a severe stroke that caused extreme damage.”

“It’s been a long, hard year, and we have been with her and caring for her everyday since then. Jasmine (her daughter) quit her job to stay at home with her full-time so she didn’t have to live in a nursing home. We gave up over half of our income at that time and have done everything we can to survive,” the page also said.

Elaborating on the incident on Monday, her son, Josh had to stop her from taking all her medication.

Her family stated that things are now looking grim for the actress.

“We don’t know how much time she has. It could be minutes. It could be hours. But no matter what, she’s already gone. We are sitting here with her just trying to keep her comfortable and let her know it’s okay,” the GoFundMe wrote.

The page said that while the actress had “fame and money,” there is no inheritance, life insurance, or a “nest egg.”

“Denise’s wish is to be cremated and her ashes made into a piece of glass art. We will need to urgently pay for these things as well as need help with our home expenses. Rent, bills, groceries. Jasmine is not working due to her caring for Denise and trying to apply for jobs while home sick and pregnant, and Josh is missing work from both jobs to be here in the hospital,” it said.

They added that “we are both sick with worry and now losing Denise. Stress is harming us both and putting our baby in danger too. We hate to ask but we desperately need help. We don’t need flowers and or cards. We just need some peace of mind. It’s 4 am now and we are saying our goodbyes and taking turns. If you can help us, we would be so very grateful.”

According to TMZ, she stopped acting in 1978 and became a nurse. Before that, she appeared in “The Electric Company,” “Dark Shadows,” and “The Brady Bunch.”

Celebrities Lost in 2019

Peggy Lipton

Actress Peggy Lipton, who starred in David Lynch’s iconic show “Twin Peaks,” and the 1960s show “The Mob Squad,” died on May 11 at the age of 72.

The cause of death was cancer.

Actress Rashida Jones (C) poses with her father Quincy Jones and her mother Peggy Lipton, at the premiere of "Celeste and Jesse Forever" at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 20, 2012. Lipton died of cancer at age 72. (Danny Moloshok/AP Photo, File)

Nipsey Hussle

Rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot dead at the age of 33 in South Los Angeles on March 31.

Luke Perry

Actor Luke Perry died from a stroke on March 4.

John Singleton

Iconic “Boyz N The Hood” director and the youngest ever Oscar nominee for best picture died after spending days in a coma following a stroke.

Peter Tork

Albert Finney

James Ingram

Longtime R&B singer James Ingram died in late January. Quincy Jones, a collaborator of his, wrote, “With that soulful, whisky sounding voice, James Ingram was simply magical ... every beautiful note that James sang pierced your essence and comfortably made itself at home.”

Freddie Starr

Celebrity comedian Freddie Starr died aged 76 at his home in Spain, according to reports.

The body of the British-born funnyman was reportedly discovered by a caregiver at his apartment in Mijas on the Costa del Sol on May 9, the Mirror reported.

Starr had been ill.

A neighbor, who asked not to be named, told the Mirror: “His carer found him dead in his chair at around 3:30 p.m. Police arrived first and then later an ambulance arrived and he was taken away.

“His next door neighbor, who is a nurse, said he was definitely dead. She said she thinks he may have suffered a heart attack.”

Legendary comedian Freddie Starr at the British Comedy Awards at Fountain Studios in London, on Dec. 16, 2011. (Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)

Kelly Jobanputra

BBC Radio 6 music presenter Kelly Jobanputra, of Swindon in southwest England, died on April 26, according to the Swindon Advertiser. She was tragically struck and killed by a train, according to reports.

The celebrity radio host had just turned 40 in April, The Sun reported, and last year had given birth to her second child.

Kelly Jobanputra poses for a photograph she posted on Twitter on March 31, 2019. (@KelJobanputra/Twitter)

Fatima Ali

“Top Chef” alum Fatima Ali died on Jan. 25, after a battle with terminal cancer. She was 29.

Former “Top Chef” contestant Bruce Kalman paid tribute to her: “It’s with a heavy heart we say goodbye to Fatima Ali today, as she has lost her battle with cancer,” he wrote.