“Miller High Life Guy” has died from a fatal blood clot. Windell D. Middlebrooks dies at age 36, fans and fellow actors have taken to social media to pay homage to the famous TV pitchman.
Windell D. Middlebrooks has died at a Los Angeles hospital. Middlebrooks was found unconscious at his San Fernando Valley home on March 9. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The actor, who gained a loyal following for his work as a delivery man in the Miller High Life ads, was also known for his contribution to TV shows like Body of Proof, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Parks and Recreation. The cause of death is a pulmonary embolism. According to TMZ, his 400-pound weight was a contributing factor.
MillerCoors, the company behind the popular commercials, has put out a statement following Windell D. Middlebrooks’ death. The beer giant told TMZ:
“He connected with people so naturally because he was one of the kindest, most genuine folks around. We will miss him a great deal and he will always hold a special place with us.”
Family members of the actor have also issued a statement “with sorrowed hearts” announcing “the passing of a young, black star” and asking the media to respect their privacy. It read:
“Windell took his final bow and with great joy exited stage left in the early morning of March 9, 2015. It was Windell’s biggest wish that his final scene not be lived on social media.”
Windell D. Middlebrooks has a role in Road Hard, a film directed by Adam Carolla, that was released on March 6, 2015. Carolla had this to say about his death:
“In all my years, I’ve never known a kinder soul, and he will be dearly missed by all of us who knew him.”
Matthew Gross, the executive producer of ABC’s Body of Proof starring Dana Delany, went in the same direction. He stated:
“Middlebrooks was an incredible human being. Most people know him as the “Miller Delivery Guy,” but for those who had the privilege of truly knowing him, knew Windell Middlebrooks was an inspirational humanitarian, a family man, artist, dancer, entertainer and one of the funniest people on this planet.”
Gross concluded with:
“Have you laughed until it hurt? That was Windell. He was kind, sweet and infectious; he lit up a room upon entering it and charmed and endeared everyone in it.”
— Dana Delany (@DanaDelany) March 11, 2015
I am heartbroken over the death of @Windell4Real. He was a shining light of goodness. My thoughts are with his Momma, whom he loved dearly.
— Dana Delany (@DanaDelany) March 10, 2015
According to the Mayo Clinic here is how you can avoid blood clots:
Preventing clots in the deep veins in your legs (deep vein thrombosis) will help prevent pulmonary embolism. For this reason, most hospitals are aggressive about taking measures to prevent blood clots:
Anticoagulants. Anticoagulants are given to people at risk of clots before and after an operation — as well as to people admitted to the hospital with a heart attack, stroke or complications of cancer.
Graduated compression stockings. Compression stockings steadily squeeze your legs, helping your veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently. They offer a safe, simple and inexpensive way to keep blood from stagnating after general surgery.
Pneumatic compression. This treatment uses thigh-high or calf-high cuffs that automatically inflate with air and deflate every few minutes to massage and squeeze the veins in your legs and improve blood flow.
Physical activity. Moving as soon as possible after surgery can help prevent pulmonary embolism and hasten recovery overall. This is one of the main reasons your nurse may push you to get up, even on your day of surgery, and walk despite pain at the site of your surgical incision.
With Windell D. Middlebrooks’ death, Hollywood has lost one of its nicest figures.
