In shows like “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Jericho,” Kenneth Mitchell was an actor. He died after a long battle with ALS. He was 49 years old.
It was confirmed on Sunday that Mitchell had died in a post on his verified Instagram page. “With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend,” it said.
Mitchell played many roles in different episodes of “Star Trek: Discovery,” such as a Klingon named Kol. He also did voice work for characters on the animated show “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” He also played Eric Green on the CBS show “Jericho,” and in a flashback scene in the 2019 Marvel movie “Captain Marvel,” he played Carol Danvers’s father, Joseph Danvers.
Mitchell told everyone in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with ALS two years before. In an interview with People at the time, he said that he had been using a wheelchair since 2019 and that he was diagnosed with MS in 2018 after seeing his muscles twitch.
“The moment that they told us it was (ALS), it was like I was in my own movie,” Mitchell told us. “That’s how it felt—like I was watching that scene where someone is told they have a disease that will kill them.” It was just a shock and a lack of belief.
The Mayo Clinic says that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nervous system that “affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord” and makes people lose control of their muscles.
The character Mitchell played on “Star Trek” was Aurellio, and he used a hovercraft chair. He wrote on Instagram in 2021 that he was “incredibly grateful for the inclusion.” He said that this role was “a reminder that there is always room for possibility and ability, even if you have a disability.”
He also played a character made just for him on the FX show “The Old Man” in 2022.
Mitchell’s wife Susan and their two children will miss him. He had told People that after being diagnosed, his main goal was to spend as much time as possible with his family. To do this, he gave up a lead role on TV that would require him to move.
A post on his social media said, “Ken had a lot of terrible problems for five and a half years because of ALS.” “In true Ken style, he rose above all of them with grace and a determination to live a full and happy life every moment.” Every day is a gift, and we are never alone. That’s how he lived his life.
It said: “His life is a shining example of how full one can be when you live with love, compassion, humour, inclusion, and community.”
