How Kenneth Mitchell (Star Trek, NCIS) succumbed to a terminal illness

Canadian actor Kenneth Mitchell, a recognizable face in 21st-century television and film fiction, has died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which he had been suffering from for five years.

ALS is a degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. It affects voluntary control of the arms and legs and also makes breathing difficult. There is still no known cure for ALS. The illness took the life of a much-loved father and actor.

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The family themselves, through an emotional and extensive statement published on X (Twitter),  confirmed the sad news. He was 49 years old.

Photo: X -@Kenneth Mitchell

"With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend," the letter began.

For several paragraphs, the actor's family reviewed his successful career and, most importantly, his role as a father. It spoke about his last years when his illness limited him physically.

"Ken will be forever proud of who his children have become," it says. They also made it clear how difficult it was for him to cope with a degenerative neuromuscular disease as complicated as ALS.

Not only does he leave behind a heartbroken wife, but also two children. His daughter was born in 2007 and his son in 2012

"For five and a half years Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment to living a full and joyous life in each moment," the family says.

Photo: Instagram - @mr-kenneth-mitchell

In an interview with People Magazine in 2020, he confirmed his illness, saying that from the moment he found out, it was “like I was watching that scene where someone is being told that they have a terminal illness.” He added, “It was just a complete disbelief, a shock.”

You only need to take a look at Instagram to verify this, where the actor continued to share joyous and free moments of his life after being diagnosed with the aforementioned disease.

Photo: Instagram - @mr-kenneth-mitchell

Always between film and television, the actor has stared in well-known and recognisable projects, such as the series 'Jericho', where he played Eric Green, one of the main characters.

On television he also appeared in series such as 'Frequency', 'CSI: ', 'NCIS: Los Angeles', 'Castle', 'Notorious', 'Switched at Birth', 'Ghost Whisperer' and, one of his greatest successes, 'Star Trek: Discovery'.

On the big screen, his major titles include 'Captain Marvel' and 'The Recruit', where he shared a set with Al Pacino and Colin Farrell. In total, he boasts nearly 60 productions since 2000.

Kenneth Mitchell left great memories wherever he went. It's clear from the comments on his last Instagram post, where dozens of well-known faces have said their final goodbyes, that he had many friends in the business.

Examples of people saying goodbye to the actor were Bitsie Tulloch, Shoshannah Stern, Sebastian Roché, Skeet Ulrich, Katie Lowes, Odette Annable, and Deborah Ann Woll.

Photo: Instagram - @mr-kenneth-mitchell