New York City declares September 17 “Nick Cordero Day” to honor the late Broadway actor on his birthday

New York City declared September 17 “Nick Cordero Day” to honor the late Broadway actor who died from COVID-19 last year and would have been 43 on Friday.

Cordero died in July 2020 after months of struggling with complications stemming from COVID-19. Just a week prior to his death, Cordero’s wife, Amanda Kloots, told CBS he had needed a double lung transplant to be able to “live the kind of life” he wanted.

Cordero had been hospitalized for three months prior to his death. During that time, he had to have his leg amputated, went into septic shock, had a lung infection and received a temporary pacemaker.

Amanda Kloots wrote on Instagram on Friday that she is “completely blown away” by the dedication, and she’s “sure Nick would be too.” Kloots is a co-host of CBS’ “The Talk.”

“Today was tough,” Kloots wrote about Nick in her Instagram stories. “Nicks [sic] family and I talk about how birthdays just hit hard. This is the roller coaster we are on. It never ends. This ride never ends. It’s full of smiles, screams, cheers and tears. Sometimes our arms are up and free and then seconds later they are gripping the handlebar so tight in hopes we don’t fall out.”

She and Cordero have a 2-year-old son, Elvis.

Broadway actress and singer Sara Bareilles, who worked alongside Cordero in the original Broadway cast of “Waitress,” accepted a framed proclamation of the day at the Barrymore Theatre on Friday. Commissioner Anne del Castillo presented the proclamation, according to CBS New York.

The show has also dedicated its reopening to Cordero. On September 2, Kloots joined the cast during curtain call for a rendition of Cordero’s song “Live Your Life.” The musical has also unveiled that it is “baking” him into the musical, by adding “Live Your Life Pie” to the pie board menu featured in the set.