Actress Kelley Mack Passes Away at 33
Kelley Mack, known for her roles in “The Walking Dead” and “9-1-1,” has died at the age of 33. She passed away peacefully on August 2nd in Cincinnati, Ohio, her hometown, as confirmed by her sister.
Mack had been bravely battling cancer, specifically gliomas affecting her central nervous system. In January, she shared her diagnosis through an Instagram post, detailing how it all began with back pain and what she thought was a slipped disc. A few weeks after that, she experienced an unusual neuropathy itch in her leg.
She described a pivotal moment in her health journey when, on Thanksgiving Eve, an emergency MRI revealed an abnormal spinal mass, leading to her diagnosis of diffuse midline glioma. This was a turning point for her.
Her last health update was a video posted on March 26th, where she remarked on her struggles with walking. Born on July 10, 1992, Mack grew up in a loving family, spending her childhood in several states before earning a degree in cinematography from Chapman University in California.
While Mack was recognized for her performance as Adi in season 9 of “The Walking Dead,” she also had credits in “Chicago Med” and numerous national commercial campaigns, including one featuring her mother, filmed just a few months ago.
Beyond acting, she had a successful career as a filmmaker, co-writing projects like “The Black on the Black,” which secured a distribution deal with AMC’s Shudder and won a notable award at a film festival.
Her passion for storytelling began at a young age when she received a mini-camera as a birthday gift, leading her to win an acting award with her performance in the 2008 independent film “The Elephant Garden.” Mack also lent her voice to projects like the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
Outside of her professional life, Mack was adventurous and enjoyed activities like hiking, cycling, and playing the piano. Friends remembered her as someone who infused energy and joy into everything she did.
Her family shared how much she valued time spent with loved ones and the joy she found in collaboration and storytelling. Mack is survived by her parents, sister, brother, and her boyfriend. A celebration of her life is set for August 16th in Ohio, with plans for a memorial in Los Angeles as well.
