Karate Kid star Robert Garrison dies at 59

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Actor Robert Garrison who is best known for his role as Tommy in the original 'The Karate Kid' died on Friday at the age of 59. According to Fox News, the actor was battling kidney and liver problems. He breathed his last in a hospital in West Virginia, where he had been for over a month before his organs stopped functioning, his sister-in-law told TMZ, who first reported the death.

Garrison's representative called the actor "an ambassador to The Karate Kid legacy" in a statement to Fox News on Friday.

"Rob was a great person and ambassador to The Karate Kid legacy. His performance in Season 2 of Cobra Kai, being his last, was simply amazing and he stole the episode. He will be missed by me and everyone he encountered," read the statement.

Garrison's family said they are coordinating funeral arrangements for the actor, who started his career in the late 1970s before landing his first major role in the 1984 classic film and its sequel, 'The Karate Kid Part II.'

The actor was supposed to reprise his role as Tommy this year for the YouTube TV series adaptation 'Cobra Kai'. 'Cobra Kai' writer and producer Jon Hurwitz, tweeted, "I'm heartened to know how much Rob enjoyed and cherished his time working on Cobra Kai."

"We were looking forward to seeing his smiling face again this season, as we had plans for Tommy to ride again. But he'll remain in our thoughts every day as we strive to make him proud," he wrote further.

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