Ochoa’s Hidden Health Issues Led to His Tragic Death in 'Boots'

Episode 5 of the Netflix coming-of-age dramedy series Boots (which dropped on Oct. 9, 2025) brought with it something no one was expecting, or wanted — Eduardo Ochoa’s death. Ochoa, played by Jonathan Nieves, collapsed at the end of Episode 5 of the eight-episode series, and it wasn’t until Episode 6 that the true cause of his death was revealed.

But several tragic events unfolded before Ochoa fell to the floor and was later pronounced dead, which may have contributed to his point of no return. Here’s everything you need to know about the character’s demise.

In Episode 6 of Boots, Sergeant McKinnon confirms that Ochoa died from a “preexisting heart condition” that he had neglected to disclose to the Corps. In fact, he had outright lied about his health in order to participate in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) boot camp. Ultimately, it was that lack of full disclosure that led to his death, though other factors likely pushed his heart into complete failure.

In Episode 5, viewers notice something is off when Ochoa complains of chest pain but shrugs it off after his bunkmate, Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), asks if he needs to get checked out. Shortly after, Ochoa experiences a moment of triumph that makes everyone, including himself, forget about the pain — he is named the top marksman of the boot camp for his skills at the shooting range.

However, that victory is very short-lived. As a reward for his impressive shooting skills, Ochoa is awarded a phone call, one he uses to call his wife, Gloria, whom he is very much devoted to. But instead of hearing her voice on the other end of the phone, a man answers, revealing that Gloria is cheating on him.

Needless to say, it causes Ochoa to experience an insurmountable amount of emotional and physical stress. And so Ochoa lashes out, even at Drill Sergeant Howitt (Nicholas Logan), who responds harshly and punishes him with physical activity, which is standard in boot camp.

Between the heartbreak he was feeling over Gloria and the physical pressure from Howitt’s punishment, Ochoa collapsed on the floor at the end of Episode 5. While Howitt tried to perform CPR and save him, it was too late.

Since Boots is based on former U.S. Marine Greg Cope White’s memoir, The Pink Marine, the characters in his book appear in the show under different names. For example, Ochoa is presumably based on White’s former bunkmate, Pritchett. Much like Ochoa, Pritchett is very committed to his wife, but he doesn’t have any health issues. Instead, he enlists in the Marines to obtain veterans' benefits, per The Direct.

The real-life person who inspired Ochoa’s character also does not die. However, he does worry that his wife isn’t equally committed because he doesn’t receive letters from her, though it’s later revealed the letters were being withheld as a prank.