Floyd Roger Myers Jr, who played a young Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has died aged 42.
The actor died of a heart attack at his home in Maryland on Wednesday morning, his mother, Renee Trice, confirmed to TMZ.
She revealed that her son had suffered three heart attacks in the past three years.
Myers Jr began his career as a child actor in the early 1990s, appearing in a memorable Season 3 episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as the teenage version of Will Smith.
Later that same year, he portrayed a young Marlon Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream, the hit TV biopic about the Jackson family’s rise to fame.
He went on to appear in an episode of the teen drama Young Americans in 2000 before stepping away from acting.
In recent years, Myers Jr had spoken openly about his health battles, revealing two years ago that he had fallen into a coma after a serious illness.
Sharing a photo from his hospital bed at the time, he wrote: “Just a week ago I was in a coma fighting for my life!
“The way my GOD work though. I’m beyond blessed and grateful to be alive!”
A GoFundMe page set up by his sister, Tyree Trice, to help cover funeral expenses.
She described him as a “devoted father, loving brother, and friend whose kindness, laughter, and warmth touched everyone he met.”
Adding: “Roger leaves behind his four beautiful children — Taelyn, Kinsley, Tyler, and Knox — and our loving family is now facing the unimaginable loss of someone who meant everything to us.”
His family and community have paid tribute online. His mother wrote on Facebook: “This is not supposed to be so."
Meanwhile a statement from his organisation read: “RIP to our good brother @rocwonder one of our co-founders. Gone but never will be forgotten.
“The mission will continue in your honour. Next men’s meeting will be one for the books like we talked about! Love you bro, rest easy, big bro will take it from here.”
