If you were raised watching the Disney Channel like just about any child with a television, then your inner child is about to spend all of Wednesday crying. S uite Life on Deck , the spin-off series following Dylan and Cole Sprouse's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, introduced a wealth of new characters alongside the old. The most famous among them was Debby Ryan with Bailey Pickett, but Windell Middlebrooks and his portrayal of security guard Kirby Morris also held a special place in people's hearts. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Middlebrooks had passed away at 36, and fans and former co-stars alike all gathered to mourn the loss of Kirby on Twitter.
Although his cause of death still remains unknown, law officials have at least ruled out the involvement of foul play. On Suite Life On Deck, Kirby was introduced in "Showgirls" as a security guard on the S.S. Tipton, and, throughout the show, we learned a variety of fun facts about him — from the fact that he was punished in the Arena Football League for taking a bite out of someone's leg to the fact to the fact that he shared Woody Fink's obsession with food. He made his last appearance in Season 3 of the popular Disney show, but his impact was eternal.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that #RIPKirby has been trending on Twitter all of Wednesday morning in honor of him. The heartwarming messages from his co-stars alone are enough to bring a tear to your eye.
But the former stars of Suite Life on Deck aren't the only ones feeling the loss. Fans, both young and old, have been tweeting up a storm as well.
Kirby Morris was far from the only role that Middlebrooks ever played; he is known for such things as being the Miller High Life delivery man and for his recurring roles in shows such as It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Scrubs. However, it's clear that his most prolific legacy will be the amount of childhoods that he helped to shape with his simple role as a boat security guard.
Relive those precious moments with the clip from Kirby's in-universe television show Boat Cops below.
Image: Disney
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