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New York-based comedian Kenny DeForest passed away near his Brooklyn residence on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, after being involved in a bike accident.
Despite being transported to the Kings County Hospital to receive treatment, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. A GoFundMe has since been created to raise money to cover his medical expenses.
For those unversed, Kenny DeForest was a comic residing in the Big Apple. He was also a producer and co-host of Comedy at the Knitting Factory. He has taken part in numerous comedy festivals and amassed a massive following of his own online. At the time of writing this article, he had nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram.
According to Springfield News-Leader, Kenny DeForest was struck by a vehicle when he was near his residence.
A fundraiser that was created on behalf of the comedian revealed that he went through a neurological surgery to remove a section of his skull to “relieve pressure from a brain bleed.”
Kenny DeForest's fundraiser surpassed its initial goal of $150,000
According to the Kenny DeForest’s Memorial GoFundMe page, created by Ryan Beck, the comic passed away at the hospital while being surrounded by his parents, friends and family.
It was also revealed that the comedian’s final moments included his favorite songs, memories from his childhood and also reminiscing his positivity and “joy for life.”
The fundraising campaign revealed that DeForest was going to be an organ donor, adding:
“Even in death he will continue to make meaningful improvements in the lives of others.”
According to the GoFundMe, Roger DeForest would be the beneficiary to the funds that were collected to cover the medical bill.
At the time of writing this article, the GoFundMe page had amassed over $172,480, with Stacey ONeill and Matthew Lane making the highest donations of $5000.
Speaking about the former Kickapoo High School basketball player, Roy Green, who was DeForest’s coach, noted:
“I have nothing, nothing but good, good things [to say] about Kenny because he was one of those unsung heroes all the way through his high school career. It kind of struck my heart when I heart about him being involved in an accident like him.”
Speaking about his comedy, Blue Room Comedy Club owners stated:
“It’s great that he started something here that has developed beyond him. He grew to become a legend of Springfield. If there is a Walk of Fame in Springfield, Missouri, he would have one of those stars. It’s great to see he’s embraced from the community as well as the national spotlight.”
Apart from speaking on-stage, Kenny DeForest also appeared on TruTV’s Friends of the People. He was also a writer for the first season of MTV’s Bugging Out. He reportedly also made appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show with James Corden and HBO’s Crashing amongst others. In 2015, he earned Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch nomination as well.
