Denise Nickerson’s family have taken her off life support.
The 62-year-old former actress – who played Violet Beauregarde in ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ – was rushed to hospital on Monday (08.07.19) after her relatives found she had taken as much of her prescription medication as she could.
Doctors diagnosed with pneumonia but on Tuesday (09.07.19), she was placed on life support after suffering a massive seizure.
The family have now told TMZ they have removed the respirator which was helping her to breather and stopped giving her medicine and said it is just a matter of time until she passes away.
‘The Electric Company’ star’s son Josh Nickerson and his wife Jasmine are by her hospital bedside and have also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to fulfill Denise’s last wish of being cremated and having her ashes turned into glass artwork.
Last year, Denise – who quit acting in 1978 to become a nurse – spent time in intensive care after suffering a stroke and her family later revealed she had had a pacemaker fitted and would likely need "24 hour care" for the rest of her life.
Jasmine spoke about her health situation via Facebook last June.
She wrote: "It’s a waiting game. It’s the worst. She’s breathing on her own but they can’t remove the ventilator today because they don’t think she has the strength to cough and not aspirate.
"And know we’re faced with do we put her in a nursing home? Does one of us quit and stay with her constantly? We can’t afford to do either. We’ll be homeless.
"Her heart, her brain, and her lungs all fought against her yesterday. Did we do what she wanted? (sic)"
Denise Nickerson taken off life support
