Jeff Garcia, the actor and comedian best known for his work on Jimmy Neutron, has died at the age of 50.
Family members confirmed to TMZ that Garcia passed away early Wednesday morning in Southern California after being taken off life support, following a series of serious medical complications.
Garcia’s death came after weeks of mounting health issues that included multiple hospitalizations. According to family sources, he had been hospitalized around November 20 after developing pneumonia and was discharged a few days later when his condition appeared to improve.
In recent months, however, Garcia had been dealing with ongoing medical challenges. According to an earlier report by TMZ, those included a brain aneurysm earlier this year that caused him to fall and hit his head, followed by a stroke several weeks ago. Despite not feeling well, Garcia reportedly canceled multiple performances but believed he could recover without additional treatment.
Earlier this week, his condition worsened. Garcia was admitted to the hospital on Monday with breathing difficulties. By Tuesday, his lung had collapsed. Surrounded by family and friends, he was taken off life support Tuesday night and pronounced dead the following morning.
While Garcia may not have always been a household name, his voice was instantly recognizable to a generation of Nickelodeon viewers. He rose to prominence through his performances in the Jimmy Neutron franchise, which debuted with the 2001 film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
Garcia voiced Sheen Juarrera Estévez, one of Jimmy’s closest friends and a breakout fan favorite known for his hyperactive energy and obsessive love of the superhero Ultra Lord.
Garcia returned as Sheen for The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, appearing in nearly 60 episodes of the animated series. The character proved so popular that he later headlined his own spinoff, Planet Sheen, which premiered in 2010 and ran for 26 episodes, with Garcia once again providing the voice.
Beyond Jimmy Neutron, Garcia built a lengthy voice-acting resume that included roles in Barnyard, Back at the Barnyard, Happy Feet, Rio, and Marmaduke.
Outside of animation, he also maintained an active career as a stand-up comedian, performing live as recently as early November, just weeks before his final hospitalization.