Actor Brad William Henke, arguably most remembered for his role in Orange Is the New Black, reportedly passed away recently at the age of 56. His towering size was only matched by his larger-than-life presence in the films he starred in. And he certainly did a lot of talking to the camera.
We will miss him greatly and his body of work will stand as a testament to his greatness. Here is all we know about what killed Brad William Henke, whose death came out of nowhere.
Here’s What We Know About Brad William Henke’s Cause of Death
‘NFL player-turned-actor,’ who played prison guard Desi Piscatella on ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ has died at the age of 56, according to TVLine. On the night of November 29th, he quietly left this world.
There has been no announcement on the cause of death as of this writing. On the other hand, in May of 2021, Brad shared a video on Instagram from the hospital where he had recently undergone heart surgery.

The actor said, “I just escaped a 90 percent blockage of my artery.” “A heart attack was possible at any time, but I just had mine repaired.” What Brad said at the end of the video, “the remainder of my life on this earth is a gift and I’m going to make use of it,” is a devastating thought now.
Brad’s manager, Matt Delpiano, issued a statement in which he referred to him as an “excellent performer [who] treasured his time here, and we treasured him. His family and friends are in our prayers.”
Jen Euston, a casting agent, broke the news on her Instagram with the caption, “To hear this comes as a surprise is shocking. Peacefully rest, Brad. I appreciate what you did for OITNB. No one can ever forget you.”
Brad William Henke Was a Real Renaissance Man
Brad William Henke, a former NFL player, was not the tallest man in the room, yet he still stood out. From 1996 until he died in 2016, he averaged one film appearance every year. The former athlete was able to improve his acting skills in films like Space Jam, North Country, and Split.
More notably, he has a long list of credits in the world of television. His versatility was remarkable, spanning everything from police procedurals to prestige dramas like Dexter and Shameless.
Brad did play professional football before he found success in the acting world. “He was cut from the New York Giants, who had picked him in the fourth round in 1989. In 1990, the Broncos picked him up and he played in their Super Bowl loss to the 49ers “The Tucson Citizen.
After an injury ruined his career, Brad moved to something else. The former football player told the media source, “I’m glad I’ve found something I want to do a million times more than playing football.”

Brad clearly had a deep affection for his work, as evidenced by his decisions. Even though his time on Earth was brief, we may rest assured that he made the most of it.
His hospital Instagram post explains everything: “I refuse to squander my time on pursuits that do not get me closer to the people I love, the fulfillment I seek, and the fulfillment of my drive to become the best actor I can be. “Brad, you were successful in your mission.