‘The Walking Dead’ Actress Dies of Rare Cancer: Kelley Mack Was 33

Kelley Mack, an actress best known for her role on The Walking Dead, has died at age 33.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native, born Kelley Klebenow, died on Saturday, less than a year after being diagnosed with glioma of the central nervous system, according to her obituary published Tuesday.

“It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley. Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go,” Mack’s loved ones wrote on her Instagram page.

“Kelley passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present,” they continued. “Kelley has already come to many of her loved ones in the form of various butterflies. She will be missed by so many to depths that words cannot express.”

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A post shared by Kelley Mack (@itskelleymack)

Her sister Kathryn concluded, “She would want you all to know how much she loves you. And as her sister, I want you all to know how brave that tough SOB was, especially when she decided to make the leap to be reunited with God. I’m so f—king proud of her.”

Mack, who starred as Addy in Season 9 of The Walking Dead and had 40 IMDb credits to her name as both an actress and producer, took to Instagram in January to share her glioma diagnosis.

After moving into a new apartment with boyfriend Logan back in September 2024, the actress wrote that she experienced “persistent lower back pain” and “neuropathic itching in my right quad” in addition to “shooting pains in [her] legs and back” that kept her from lying down.

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A post shared by Kelley Mack (@itskelleymack)

“On Thanksgiving Eve, I had emergency MRIs done at the hospital, which revealed an abnormal mass in my spinal cord,” she continued. “Fast forward to now – I have been diagnosed with #diffusemidlineglioma, an extremely rare type of #astrocytoma #cancer.”

Mack wrote at the time that she was “very grateful” to have such a “supportive and loving” family and boyfriend throughout the process. “It has been a very emotional and challenging time, truly testing my mental fortitude, faith, and physical strength,” she continued. “They are so positive and we have a sense of calm knowing that my healing is taking place and we will overcome. This experience has brought me closer to God, and I am leaning on him and trust his plan for me.”

Mack also appeared on TV shows Chicago Med and 9-1-1, in addition to films Broadcast Signal Intrusion and Delicate Arch. She also appeared in commercials for Dr. Pepper, Ross stores, Dairy Queen, Rakuten, and Chick-fil-A, and also did voiceover work as the voice match for Hailee Steinfeld’s character in the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Mack will posthumously appear as Ricky in the yet-to-be-released film Universal.

Mack is survived by her parents, Kristen and Lindsay Klebenow; her sister, Kathryn; her brother, Parker; her grandparents, Lois and Larry; and her “dearest boyfriend,” Logan.