Actor Leonard Nimoy has died at the age of 83, his wife confirmed to The New York Times on Friday.

The actor died of “end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” in his Los Angeles home this morning. He was hospitalized earlier this week after experiencing severe chest pains.

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Last year Nimoy spoke about his condition. “I quit smoking 30 yrs ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP (Live Long and Prosper),” he wrote on Twitter in February 2014.

Nimoy is best known for his role as Spock in the Star Trek series in the late 1960s. Though he took on the now iconic role early in his career, the actor continued to reprise the role throughout his life. Most recently, he made appearances as Spock in 2009’s Star Trek and the 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness.

He was expected to make another cameo in Star Trek 3 along with friend and co-star William Shatner. Nimoy was a sensation when the original Star Trek series premiered on television, and had always been seen as one of the original actors who continued to keep interacting with fans of his show, as well as the new Star Trek films he was involved in with J.J. Abrams.

Nimoy also directed movies, including two from the original Star Trek series. He also made records, where he would sing pop songs and original works of his own about Star Trek. His voice was well-known, and his fans adored him.

He was a true artist, who released poetry and books of photography. He had a love for the stage, and at the time was teaching Method acting at his own acting studio when he finally got his huge break, and was cast in the original television show in the 1960s. The rest, as they say, is history.

Leonard Nimoy’s final tweet was released on February 22, just this past Sunday.

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP — Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015

Actor Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the new Star Trek films, shared this tribute on Instagram shortly after Nimoy died:

my heart is broken. i love you profoundly my dear friend. and i will miss you everyday. may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. A photo posted by Zachary Quinto (@zacharyquinto) on Feb 27, 2015 at 10:01am PST

Live long and prosper Mr. Nimoy.

Related: Mr. Nimoy’s friends in Hollywood react to the news of his passing

Additional reporting by Josh Nealey.