Broadway actor Nick Cordero has woken up after being in a medically induced coma for weeks while battling COVID-19.
According to an update Tuesday from Cordero's wife, dancer Amanda Kloots, the "Rock of Ages" star is slowly regaining mental consciousness. Last week, Cordero began to show "early signs" of waking up by tracking movement with his eyes.
"Dada is awake!" Kloots said in an Instagram video, cheering and laughing while bouncing their smiling baby, Elvis, on her hip. "He's awake, guys. I asked the doctor today, I was like, 'Can we say he's awake?' He is awake. It's just that Nick is so weak right now that even opening his eyes, closing his eyes takes out all of his energy. But he is awake!"
In a follow-up post on her Instagram story, Kloots elaborated on her husband's state. The fitness instructor has been updating her followers on his condition regularly since he went to the emergency room in late March.
While hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the Tony nominee has suffered multiple setbacks, including septic shock, blood clots, fungus in his lungs, a low blood count and a leg amputation.
"He is extremely weak, so weak that he can't close his mouth," Kloots continued Tuesday. "But he is following commands, which means mental status is coming back! This is a long road, a very long road. We are on our way."
For the past several weeks, Kloots has been sharing uplifting song and dance videos with the hashtag #WakeUpNick _ as have his castmates from "Waitress" and the Hollywood edition of "Rock of Ages." On Tuesday, the hashtag changed to #NickIsWoke.
Upon hearing the "incredible news," "Waitress" mastermind and COVID-19 survivor Sara Bareilles shared her excitement on Instagram.
"OVERJOYED!!!!" the Grammy winner wrote. "Nick is awake!!!!! Gaaahhhhhhh I am so happy!!!!"
Over the weekend Kloots shared her last photo taken with her husband and 11-month-old son, summarizing his long, difficult fight with the respiratory illness and thanking his many caregivers.
"This disease does not only effect old people. This is real," she wrote. "A perfectly healthy 41 year old man! Bring awareness to his story. STAY HOME! FOLLOW GUIDELINES! This journey with Nick has been the hardest thing we've ever had to go through."
