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Actor Chad McQueen, son of movie icon Steve McQueen and father of “The Vampire Diaries” star Steven R. McQueen, died Wednesday at age 63.
Variety McQueen’s second wife, Jeannie, and their two children were reported to have said in a statement, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen. His incredible journey as a loving father to us all and his unwavering devotion to our mother truly embodied a life filled with love and dedication. His passion for racing not only highlighted his incredible talent, but was also a way for us to honour his father’s legacy and a testament to the values he instilled in us.”
“He passed on his passion, knowledge and dedication to us all, and we will carry on not only his legacy, but that of my grandfather,” he continued. “As a family, we must navigate this difficult time. We ask that you respect our privacy as we remember and celebrate his incredible life.”
McQueen’s cause of death was said to be multiple organ failure that occurred several years after the tragic 2006 accident.
McQueen, the surviving son of Steve McQueen and actress Neile Adams, was born on December 28, 1960 and rose to fame as an actor playing Cobra Kai member Dutch in The Karate Kid (1984) and The Karate Kid Part II (1986).
He also appeared in films such as “New York Cop” (1993) and “Redline” (1995), but was more interested in racing cars, a passion of his late father. He raced professionally and founded McQueen Racing to develop high-performance vehicles.
McQueen is survived by his mother, wife and two children, as well as his son, Steven R. McQueen, from his first marriage.
