KENNETH Mitchell’s last wishes have been revealed as the Star Trek: Discovery actor dies from a 5-year-long battle with ALS.
On Saturday, his family shared the inspiring, hope-filled request and Kenneth’s obituary on the Jericho actor’s Instagram account.
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In a personal essay titled “Connect,” Kenneth, who passed away at 49, wrote, “When I die, when I leave this Life, I want to become a tree.
“A Ginkgo, White pine, Jacaranda, Cedar, Oak, Mrytle, or Maple.”
The Star Trek actor continued, “I want to be buried under the roots, so I can be soaked up, all my matter, all my energy, my love, my laughter, my tears and I want to reach up through the branches and touch the night sky.
“I want to twinkle with the stars and when the earth turns, I want to feel the sun on the face of my leaves.
“I want to give off Oxygen for all to breathe. I would like kids to climb on the branches, students to lean on me, animals to eat the fruits I’ll bear.”
Kenneth wrote that as a tree, he wants to “bend with the wind” and that when the time is right, he would like “to be taken down and carved into a canoe paddle,” so he can “J-stroke down the river, flowing and winding and meandering.”
The Captain Marvel actor stated that he wants the rest of the wood from the tree to be used for a bonfire by the ocean and carved into a “great big drum.”
“The biggest drum imaginable,” he added before writing, “I want to beat deep and low, to the rhythm of your heart, to the sway of the flames.
“I want to fill your soul, reach into your bones and resonate.”
Kenneth continued, “Connect with your mind. Transcend with every beat. Beat. Beat. We are family we are friends, I am your brother and sister, I am nature.
“Dance with me. Smile with me. Feel with me. Dream with me. Ascend with me. Fall and fail with me but rise up with me.”
He added, “Together. Connected. Every flowing and beating. With hope and optimism. With tenacity and humility. With love and kindness. With courage and vigor. With conviction.
The passage concluded, “Take my hand, my branch, my paddle, my drum, and dance with me… forever!”
RISING ABOVE
The late actor’s family also released their statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son, and dear friend,” his family tweeted.
“For five and a half years, Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS.”
“And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment, to living a full and joyous life in each moment,” the statement continued on Instagram.
“He lived by the principals that each day is a gift and we never walk alone.”
The family asks that any gifts be directed toward ALS research or his children.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurological disorder that “affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
A family friend also set up a GoFundMe page for Kenneth’s wife Susan and children, Lilah and Kallum.
“Our beloved Ken is gone now. And as Susan and the kids begin to grieve the immeasurable loss of the husband and father they adored, the funds raised here will help alleviate some of the stress associated with the significant financial strain,” the text mentioned.
“Ken was loved by so many. And for those of us who were lucky enough to be in his orbit, he was always a pillar of strength.”
“Now it’s our turn to be there for him by supporting the beautiful family he’s left behind,” the text closed.
The online fundraiser has raised more than $20,000.
PAST WORK
During the first two seasons of the Discovery series, Kenneth played three Klingon characters.
The Star Trek star portrayed Kol during the first season, then Kol-Sha and Tenavik in the sophomore season.
During Season 3, the series incorporated a hoverchair when Kenneth played Aurellio.
He needed a wheelchair as his disease progressed, according to Deadline.
The star also voiced three characters in the first season of the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, including a black ops operative and a Romulan guard.
“Whether someone is good or bad is all about perspective, and it’s about understanding that culture,” he told StarTrek.com in a 2017 interview.
“You’ll get to know the Klingons on our show, and then people can decide if we really are the villains.”
Kenneth is also known for his role as Eric Green on Jericho and his portrayal of Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel.
In a flashback sequence with McKenna Grace, he appeared as the father of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson).
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