International Business Times
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
'The Walking Dead' Actress Kelley Mack Dies at 33 After Battle with Rare Brain Cancer 'Giloma'
The Walking Dead star Kelley Mack has passed away at the age of 33 after a battle with a rare form of brain cancer called glioma. She died August 2 in her native Cincinnati, Ohio, with family at her side.
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In mid-November 2024, Mack was diagnosed with midline glioma—an aggressive form of brain cancer that originates in the central nervous system. It is an uncommon condition, and at least 25% of brain tumors in the U.S. Despite her health issues, Bonner stayed creative and upbeat, collaborating on scripts with her mother and remaining engaged with the film world.
Glioma is a type of brain tumor that originates in the glial cells, which are cells that help to support and protect the neurons of the brain. Carcinoid tumors can grow slowly or quickly and are usually not easy to treat.
Additionally, patients may have severe headaches, difficulty speaking, confusion and loss of memory, seizures, and dizziness. These tumors occur more frequently in children and later years, the statement said, with certain cases linked to genetic mutations or radiation exposure.
Kelley Mack began her acting career in 2008 and gained recognition with The Walking Dead Season 9. In addition to her film roles, she had stints on The Terror and mixed-media series Mythic Quest and Into the Dark; guest spots on 9-1-1, Chicago Med, and Schooled. She had also voiced a character in the movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. She produced and acted in independent films, A Knock at the Door and Universal.
Creativity ran through Mack's family. Klebenow's parents, Kristen and Lindsay Klebenow, fostered her love for reading, writing, and art. Her siblings, Kathryn and Parker Mack, are also actors, and the three share a close relationship. Her family took to social media, writing touching tributes to their "shining, brilliant, and fiercely devoted light."
Her sister Kathryn said, She has already come to many of her loved ones in the form of various butterflies... I'm so proud of her." A remembrance get-together is being planned for Aug. 16 in Glendale, Ohio, and a larger celebration of life will take place in Los Angeles.
