'Hamilton' star Miguel Cervantes' daughter, 3, has died after struggle with severe epilepsy

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Monday, October 14, 2019
'Hamilton' actor says daughter's severe epilepsy changed priorities from acting to advocacy
Chicago "Hamilton" star Miguel Cervantes was catapulted him to local stardom, but a heart-wrenching family struggle has kept him grounded and focused on what's most important.

CHICAGO -- Chicago "Hamilton" star Miguel Cervantes' wife says their 3-year-old daughter died in her arms on Saturday.

Kelly Cervantes announced the death of their daughter Adelaide on Twitter Sunday.

"The machines are off. Her bed is empty. The quiet is deafening," Kelly Cervantes wrote.

Adelaide was diagnosed with a severe form of childhood epilepsy around the same time that Miguel was cast in "Hamilton." Miguel Cervantes was handpicked by Lin Manuel Miranda to play the leading role of Alexander Hamilton.

Miguel and Kelly Cervantes have been working to raise awareness about epilepsy. Their 7-year-old son Jackson has also taken on an activist role, teaching his classmates about what a seizure looks like.

"We are fighting so that no one ever has to count how many seizures happen in a day," Miguel told ABC7 earlier this month.

Kelly Cervantes writes about the family's struggle in her blog Inchstones.

"I want a cure for epilepsy," Kelly has said. "I want the fear that people have of talking about it, I want that fear to end. I want my baby girl to live, and I don't get that. So I'm going to fight like hell for the rest of it."

ABC7 reported earlier this month that Adelaide has inspired the 'My Shot at Epilepsy' fundraising campaign. Donations support an organization called Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, or CURE.

Click here for more information about the CURE 2019 Chicago Benefit.

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