Melanie Watson death: Diff’rent Strokes star dies aged 57 after hospitalization

The child star played Kathy Gordon opposite Gary Coleman in the beloved sitcom

Melanie Watson played Kathy Gordon on ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ (NBCUniversal/Getty)

Diff’rent Strokes child actor Melanie Watson has died at 57.

The actor died Friday in Colorado Springs after she was recently hospitalized for bleeding, her brother Robert Watson told TMZ. He said Watson deteriorated quickly after being in the hospital.

She had osteogenesis imperfecta — also known as brittle bone disease — from the time she was born and used a wheelchair.

Watson played Kathy Gordon, the best friend of the show’s main character Arnold Jackson, in four episodes of the sitcom produced by Norman Lear. The classic series aired for eight seasons from 1978 to 1986 and starred Todd Bridges and late actor Gary Coleman.

From 1981 to 1984, Watson guest starred on the show in a role specifically created for her as an optimistic girl in a wheelchair. In real life, the late disability advocate used a wheelchair after the show as her osteoporosis made her susceptible to bone breaks and connective tissue issues.

Melanie Watson appeared as Kathy Gordon in ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ (NBCUniversal/Getty)

Melanie Watson founded Train Rite, an organization to help people who are disabled (Facebook)

Watson was discovered when a talent scout spotted her at a local YMCA when she was 13 years old. In an interview with IndieWire in 2020, she admitted that she was a “pill” to work with as a child, saying: “I was always playing with my yo-yo and listening to my Walkman.”

After Diff’rent Strokes ended, Watson retired from acting. She went on to found Train Rite, an organization that trains shelter dogs to work as service animals for people who are disabled. Watson also became the CEO of another organization called Couiffie’s Ranch, which aimed to help people with disabilities live more independently with the help of service animals.

Her advocacy was highlighted when Watson was chosen as a “community hero” in Los Angeles, which led her to carry the 1996 Olympic torch in a relay with her service dog Romer.

Watson was married to Roger Bernhardt from 1994 to 1996, and kept his last name for the rest of her life.

Tributes to the actor poured in online after news of her death, including from Todd Bridges, the only main cast member of Diff’rent Strokes who is still alive. Bridges remembered his former co-star by simply posting TMZ’s report of her death on his Instagram account.

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One X user mourned: “So sad to hear this. Melanie and I worked together on Diff’rent Strokes, and we stayed in touch through social media over the years. I’m truly saddened by this loss. My heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and everyone who loved her. Rest in peace.”

Another fan wrote, “Oh that’s so sad - that’s my childhood!” as someone added, “May she rest in peace. She was an inspiration to many disabled people, me included.”