Photo: Go Fund Me
The family of belovedOnce Upon a Timestar Gabe Khouth is asking the public to come together and raise funds for the actor’s funeral following hissudden deathlast week.
The family has launched a GoFundMe page in hopes of covering his “celebration of life ceremony” and providing financial stability to his children — daughter Shino, 12, and son, Toshiro, 15, with wife Yuki.
While Khouth was known to many as Sneezy/Tom Clark on the popular ABC series, to his family he was a warrior.
“My brother was born with a congenital heart defect (Tricuspid Atresia) and from the very beginning of his life he had struggled to beat the odds and always strived to lead a vibrant life despite his physical challenges,” Khouth’s older brother Sam Vincent wrote on the page.
Vincent added, “He had major heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic at the age of 10 to put a shunt in his heart to work more effectively, which was a relatively new procedure at the time so the prognosis of his longevity was always unknown.”
“He lived with this his whole life, never knowing how long his heart would truly last,” Vincent continued.
Gabe Khouth.Andrew Bako/Getty Images
“He kept living and thriving as an actor despite this physical limitations,” Vincent added.
Vincent and the rest of the family are looking to raise $25,000. They’ve raised $8,000 at this time.
It is their wish to also create an education fund for Khouth’s children with the money raised.
“Gabe filled so many hearts with laughter and good cheer over the years with his performances, engaging personality, warm heart and deep love for humanity.”
Vincent wrote that Khouth died on Tuesday after his “heart finally gave out” while he was riding his motorcycle and crashed.
Khouth’s friend, actor Peter Kelamis,announced his deathon Twitter saying he “appeared to suffer a cardia arrest.” He was 46.
“Gabe ALWAYS put a smile on everyone’s face,” Kelamis tweeted. “My deepest condolences to his Family and friends RIP — You kind, kind soul #Heartbroken #gonetoosoon.”
Vincent wrote on the GoFundMe page that he “went quickly, without suffering.”
Gabe Khouth inOnce Upon a Time.Jack Rowand/Getty Images
Vincent also spoke out in a video shared on Twitter explaining Khouth died “doing what he loved, and he’s at peace now.”
He also invited fans to pay tribute at the presumed site of the crash in Vancouver, Canada.
“My brother loved to ride,” he said, choking up. “He loved all of you.”
Khouth joinedOnce Upon a Timein the first season, appearing in a total of 43 episodes over the series’ seven-season run.
source: people.com
