Actress Isabelle Tate, who played Julie on the pilot episode of ABC’s 9-1-1: Nashville, died on Saturday at the age of 23, after dealing with a rare neuromuscular disorder.
The young actress, who had suffered from Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) — a rare and progressive neurological disease that damages peripheral nerves in the arms, legs, hands, and feet — passed away peacefully in her sleep, Tate’s agent told TMZ.
While the neuromuscular disease affects the legs, it can also impact internal organs, such as the lungs and heart, the agent added.
In December 2022, Tate took to her Instagram to share that at the age of 13, she was diagnosed with a disorder that caused her to occasionally use a wheelchair.
“I don’t usually get vulnerable on this app, but I feel like this is something I have to share that’s been going on in my life,” she said. “When I was 13, I got diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens my legs muscles over time.”
“When I was first diagnosed, I couldn’t fully understand what it was or grasp what it could be. Over the years, I was going on with my life and would notice little things get more difficult for me, but not so much where it stood out to me significantly,” Tate explained.
The actress went on to say that by December 2022, the neuromuscular disease “really progressed,” adding, “I’ve come to terms that if I want to live my life to the fullest, I need to use a wheelchair at times.”
“This has been a difficult journey for me because having to accept and surrender to the progression of this condition has been extremely hard,” Tate said. “While I was trying to come to terms with this, I really did find that I lost myself in certain ways.”
“I hated that it was not only breaking me down physically, but I was allowing it to also break down my spirit,” she continued. “I would’ve never expected something like this to happen to me, as most of us wouldn’t.”
The actress added that while she didn’t know “why these were the cards I was dealt in life,” she “can’t change it so I’m choosing to embrace it and not let it define me.”
“This has really changed my perspective on life, and if I’ve learned anything from this, it’s to appreciate the little things that are easily taken for granted,” Tate said.
“You really never know what someone is going through, so please always be kind and compassionate,” Tate concluded in her post.
Before getting into acting, Tate graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, according to her obituary.
The actress’ family and friends remember her as someone who was “full of fire, a fighter,” and “never once making excuses for the fact that she might have a disability relative to others.”
Tate is survived by her parents, John and Katerina, her step father, Vishnu, and her sister, Daniella. Her funeral will be held on Friday in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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