(WJW) – Andrea Fay Friedman, who was best known for her groundbreaking role on television’s “Life Goes On” in the early 1990s, has died at 53, according to multiple reports.

According to the New York Times and Variety, Friedman, who had Down syndrome, died on Sunday in her Santa Monica, California, home from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. People born with Down syndrome have a greater risk of developing the disease, especially as they get older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Friedman’s father, Hal Friedman, confirmed the news, telling The New York Times that the disease left his daughter unable to speak for the past year.

Andrea Fay Friedman graduated from West Los Angeles Baptist High School and studied philosophy at Santa Monica College for two years, according to The Times.

Having Down syndrome and playing a main role in “Life Goes On” was revolutionary in 1992 and led to a number of portrayals of characters with developmental disabilities.

On “Life Goes On,” she played Amanda Swanson, who dates and goes on to marry Charles “Corky” Thatcher, who has Down syndrome as well. She was initially slated to appear on just one episode, but she impressed the producers so much that she became a regular on the show for two seasons, according to The Times.

Friedman also appeared on shows including “ER,” “Baywatch,” and “Law and Order: SVU,” and voiced a character on “Family Guy.”

According to her IMDB page, Friedman’s final on-screen appearance was in the 2019 holiday drama “Carol of the Bells.”