Art sadly imitated life for John in the end. His The West Wing (1999) TV character,
Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, had a history of alcoholism and suffered a
heart attack of which he recovered. John, who was himself a recovered alcoholic (since 1989),
died of a heart attack four days before his 59th birthday in December
of 2005. After his death, his character in The West Wing also died of a heart attack.
They [his parents] wanted me to be educated -- a doctor or a lawyer. They weren't happy that I chose the arts. They wanted me to have a good life. It's ironic that I made the leap in a different way.