Jeff Garcia, the stand-up comedian best known for voicing Sheen Estevez in the Jimmy Neutron film and television franchise, has died. He was 50.
As a voice actor he also played Pip the Mouse in the 2006 animated comedy Barnyard.
Garcia’s death was confirmed by his son, fellow comedian Joseph ‘Jojo’ Garcia, who wrote on Instagram: “With a very heavy heart, I would like to inform everybody that my father, Jeff Garcia, has passed away.
“My father was a unique soul. He was unapologetically himself and I will always admire the love, compassion, and drive that he had. He taught me so much and gave me advice that I live by every single day.”
The statement continued: “He was a Father, Son, Uncle, Cousin, Brother, but most of all, he was my best friend. I would call him every day. I would tell him about the plans I had in comedy and my life. He believed in me, in a way that nobody else did.”
Garcia was born on May 3, 1975 in Irvine, California. He began his stand-up career in the early 1990s, and had guest roles in television shows including Caroline in the City and Dangerous Minds.
He made his film debut as the voice of Sheen Estevez in the 2001 animated movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and reprised the character in the Nickelodeon spin-off shows The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius and Planet Sheen.
His film credits also included voice roles in Happy Feet, Marmaduke and Rio.
Garcia’s son added in his statement: “The talent my father possessed was truly one of a kind. From voice acting to stand up comedy, he shined with his quick wit, brash humor, and charm.
“He has made such an impact on people’s lives internationally, whether you grew up watching Jimmy Neutron, or shared a laugh with him at one of his shows.”
According to TMZ, multiple sources confirmed that Garcia was taken off life support on Tuesday night at a Southern California hospital while surrounded by family and friends. He was pronounced dead early Wednesday, December 10.
Garcia had reportedly suffered a string of medical complications in the months leading up to his death, including a brain aneurysm earlier this year during which he also fell and struck his head. He recovered from the aneurysm, but suffered a stroke several weeks ago.
He is survived by his former wife Lisa Garcia, who he was married to from 2002 to 2013, and their two children, Savannah and Joseph.
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