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Kenneth Mitchell: “A proud father more than anything else”

Photo: Admedia / ZUMA Wire / IMAGO

American actor Kenneth Mitchell has died at the age of 49.

His family announced this in an official statement on Instagram.

He had played many different roles in his career, it said.

But to those close to Mitchell, he was a "hope seeker, daydreamer, soccer player, beachcomber, bear hugger, landscape designer, gardener, canoe paddler, camper, naturalist, cat lover (...) younger brother, Susan's partner and, more than anything else “a proud father”.

Mitchell was terminally ill with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

This is a chronic disease of the nervous system.

The actor was diagnosed five years ago.

The disease leads to a significant shortening of life expectancy.

Those affected suffer, among other things, from swallowing problems, breathing problems and muscle loss.

Since 2019, Mitchell has been dependent on a wheelchair.

"For five and a half years, Ken suffered from a series of terrible challenges caused by ALS," the statement continued.

He accepted the challenge with dignity and dedication to life.

»He lived by the principle that every day is a gift and that we are never alone.«

The actor was known for his role as Eric Green in the TV series Jericho.

He also starred in “Star Trek: Discovery” between 2017 and 2021 and portrayed Joseph Danvers in “Captain Marvel”.

"Regardless of his later disabilities, Ken discovered a higher calling to be more himself for his children," his family wrote on Instagram.

The actor will forever be proud of what his children have become.

Mitchell is survived by his wife and two children.

eru