Actor Rene Kirby, finest recognized for his function within the 2001 Farrelly Brothers comedy film Shallow Hal, has died. He was 70.
In keeping with the Vermont-based publication Seven Days, Rene died on the College of Vermont Medical Middle on Friday, July 11. His brother, Jon Kirby, instructed the outlet that Rene had been hospitalized for 2 months because of infections and issues along with his oesophagus, kidneys, and bladder.
Rene was born with spina bifida, which, in accordance with the Mayo Clinic, “is a situation that happens when the backbone and spinal twine don’t type correctly.” Because of the situation, Rene had no use of his legs, although he by no means let it cease him from an lively way of life, together with biking, snowboarding, and appearing.
He appeared in two Farrelly Brothers movies, together with the Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow-starring Shallow Hal. Rene performed the function of Walt, a person who, like himself, was born with spina bifida. He later featured within the 2003 comedy Caught On You, starring Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as conjoined twin brothers.
Along with his movie work, Rene additionally appeared in an episode of the HBO drama Carnivàle within the 2005 episode “The Street to Damascus,” taking part in the character Hoppy.
Rene opened up about his situation in a 2008 episode of Seven Days’ “Caught in Vermont,” the place he mentioned he’d by no means pitied himself for his state of affairs. “Life’s too quick to be doing that,” he mentioned, calling himself “a gimp and not using a wimp.”
“Strolling on my arms is simply all I’ve ever recognized,” he added. “I’ve by no means considered myself as disabled.”
Outdoors of appearing, Rene was an completed highschool gymnast and carpenter, serving to his brother Jon rework a number of homes through the years. Jon additionally famous that Rene had labored for IBM for 20 years and, in recent times, had loved on-line inventory buying and selling.
Rene’s sister, Cheryl St. Amour, instructed Seven Days that her brother survived throat most cancers a number of years in the past, however the remedy required the removing of his larynx, so he misplaced the flexibility to talk. Jon additionally shared how Rene hadn’t ridden his bike since final fall.
“He had gotten to the purpose the place he actually couldn’t rise up on it anymore,” Jon said.
Rene is survived by his mom and 6 siblings. His father handed away three years in the past.