Nick Cordero honored by wife, stars during online memorial

Amanda Kloots, wife of the late Broadway star Nick Cordero, offered poignant thoughts and reminiscences about her husband Sunday in a star-studded online memorial.

Cordero, who died July 5 at age 41 after having contracted the coronavirus, "always said that to me, 'I'm so blessed.' We lived such a blessed life," fitness trainer Kloots said near the beginning of the nearly two-hour tribute that featured cast mates from Cordero's Broadway musicals "Rock of Ages," "Waitress," "A Bronx Tale" and "Bullets Over Broadway," the last of which earned him a Tony Award nomination in 2014. A private service for family and friends had taken place July 11.

" 'Bullets Over Broadway,' Nick would say changed his life, and it truly did," Kloots said Sunday. "He was about to give up on performing. He was taking real estate courses because he just didn't think he was going to make it. When he booked 'Bullets Over Broadway,' I was standing next to him after the reading, and I was in awe of my husband-to-be." She and Cordero had "met during 'Bullets Over Broadway,' fell in love, and then got married. It was a pretty good 'showmance,' if you ask me."

She recalled of Cordero, with whom she would have celebrated their third wedding anniversary on Sept. 3, "Nick would always say that we were very different, that we shouldn't be together or that 'I can't believe that we're together,' but I truly believe that it was our differences that made us a perfect match. … I love my husband so much, and I am so proud of the fight that he did, that I watched every single day, as he fought for his life. My husband, he was a dreamer, he was everybody's friend, he was an incredible husband, an amazing father, brother, son, best friend."

Kloots added, "The last three months of Nick's life, he truly showed me what a strong person he was, fighting every single day for his life, for me and for Elvis," their son, who turned 1 in June. "I will miss you every single day, sweetheart. I love you so much. Thank you for leaving us with your music."

She thanked all those who had sung his composition "Live Your Life" on remote video to him in the hospital each afternoon for several days, after Kloots "realized how playing music for him was helping his blood pressure. … It was a lifeline of support, it was a lifeline of happiness. And I truly believe it really did help to wake Nick up" from the coma that had lasted from shortly after his March 31 hospitalization until mid-May.

The livestream also served as a benefit for the school music-education group Save the Music Foundation, with those interested in contributing asked to text CORDERO to 41444.