Leonard Nimoy's 'Star Trek' Co-Stars Offer Well Wishes After His Hospitalization

It's no secret that Leonard Nimoy, through his portrayal of Spock on Star Trek, has touched the lives of millions. Now, his former co-stars are reaching out to wish him well, after Nimoy, 83, was rushed to the hospital last week after suffering from chest pains.

TMZ broke the news Monday that Nimoy was rushed to an L.A. hospital as a precautionary measure last Thursday after suffering from chest pains.

Nimoy announced last year that he'd been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, 30 years after giving up smoking. "I'm doing OK," Nimoy tweeted a little more than a year ago. "Just can't walk distances. Love my life, family, friends and followers."

According to the National Institutes of Health, COPD is a progressive disease, prominently affecting middle-aged or older adults, which makes it difficult to breathe. Smoking is the primary cause. While it is manageable, it can get worse over time and there is no cure. Currently, COPD is the third-leading cause of death in the United States.

Though Nimoy has not directly addressed his hospitalization last week, he did post a short note on Twitter implying he is fine, if not a little melancholy.

Nimoy had been working steadily up until 2013, and even appeared in both J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek films in which Zachary Quinto plays the character Nimoy made famous. In October, Nimoy tweeted in response to those who'd asked what he was up to that he's "doing family."