Ben Woolf (Photo : YouTube)
Ben Woolf, an actor who played a dwarf character in the most recent season of "American Horror Story: Freak Show," passed away in a Los Angeles hospital on Feb. 23, Monday.
Woolf died after suffering a stroke related to injuries he sustained from last week's car accident, his publicist said as reported by The New York Times.
On Feb. 19, Thursday evening, the 34-year-old actor was hit in the head by a side-view mirror of a passing car in Hollywood. The driver of the car was not arrested.
"Unfortunately it was just a tragic accident," a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department stated.
Woolf was immediately sent to the hospital that night and reportedly stabilized over the weekend before passing on Monday, according to TMZ.
Family, friends and fans quickly paid tributes to the actor after learning of his passing. Ryan Murphy, "American Horror Story" co-creator, said on Twitter that he considered Woolf "one of the most inspirational people I've ever met."
The family of the actor said in a statement: "We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from all over the world for our beloved Ben. He touched so many hearts in his 34 years. His memory will live on within each of us and within his work."
Woolf, who played a sideshow performer named Meep in the fourth season of "American Horror Story," was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism.
In a video interview released by the show in January, the actor shared his thoughts on the hardships of life with dwarfism. He revealed that sometimes people "don't give me the value that I deserve," but that he had learned to "ignore it and do what I can do to the best of my ability."
Before becoming known as an actor, Woolf had been a preschool teacher. In the same video interview, the actor claimed how he had loved teaching, as being with children allowed one to somehow "live in a different world that doesn't have any rules."
