Samuel Monroe Jr. — best known for his role as Ilena’s cousin in the 1993 classic “Menace II Society” — is fighting for his life in a Southern California hospital, according to TMZ. The 52-year-old actor has reportedly been on life support for the past three days as he battles meningitis, and his prognosis remains unclear.
His wife, Shawna Stewart, says the family has launched a GoFundMe as medical bills continue to mount. The fundraiser reads in part: “The funds raised will go directly toward covering his mounting medical bills and providing for his children during this incredibly difficult time.”
Stewart also shared that Monroe first contracted meningitis about 18 months ago while filming a movie in Las Vegas — but repeated misdiagnoses allowed the illness to worsen.
Monroe’s career spans film and television, with memorable appearances in “Tales from the Hood,” “Set It Off,” “The Players Club,” “Out All Night,” “NYPD Blue” and the Wayans Brothers’ parody “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.”