Actress Isabelle Tate’s cause of death has been confirmed.
Tate died on Sunday, Oct. 19, just weeks after she appeared in the series premiere of “9-1-1: Nashville.” She was 23. It has since been confirmed that Tate died from a rare form of a neurological disorder.
“Isabelle ‘Izzy’ Tate had a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. She passed away peacefully on the 19th of October,” Tate’s talent agency, the McCray Agency, wrote in a statement shared via Instagram Stories. “The family requests privacy as they deal with this sudden and shocking loss.”
In lieu of flowers, Tate’s family is asking for donations to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association in her name.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of inherited conditions that cause nerve damage, per the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms most often begin in the feet and legs. The disease can cause difficulty walking, loss of feeling in the legs and feet, high foot arches, and curled toes. As the disease progresses, symptoms can spread to the hands and the arms.
Although there’s no cure for the hereditary disease, Charcot-Marie-Tooth is not usually life-threatening. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are “rare cases” where the disease can lead to “breathing difficulties” if the diaphragm muscles’ nerves are affected.
Tate previously opened up about her struggles with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in a 2022 Instagram post.
“When I was first diagnosed [at age 13], I couldn’t fully understand what it was or grasp what it could be,” Tate wrote at the time. “Recently, it’s really progressed and 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 help and surrender to the progression of this condition has been extremely hard.”
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Tate was in a wheelchair during her recent appearance on “9-1-1: Nashville.” She played a woman attending a male stripper show. Tate’s character politely informed another woman that she was blocking her view of the show, and the woman shot back, “Shut up, hot wheels.”
After overhearing the hateful comment, stripper-turned firefighter Blue Bennings (Hunter McVey) gave Tate’s character a dance. McVey told People that he was “shocked” to learn about Tate’s passing.
“I didn’t know Isabelle prior to filming, but I couldn’t have asked for someone better to work with on one of my first-ever days on set. I was terrified, nervous, and after each take, we would get to exchange a couple words, which were always supportive from her,” the actor said. “I got the pleasure of talking with her after the scene, and she had such a great energy. You could tell she brought joy to a lot of people.”
People also reported that an in memoriam card honoring Tate will be included in the Thursday, Oct. 30, episode of “9-1-1: Nashville.”
“9-1-1: Nashville” airs on ABC on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu the day after they air.
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