Billy Kametz, 'Pokemon' Voice Actor and Disney Alum, Dead at 35
Billy Kametz, a prolific voice actor who worked on the English dubs of Pokemon, Attack on Titan, Beastars, and dozens of other animated series, died Thursday after a battle with colon cancer. He was 35. Kametz also acted on stage, playing Aladdin in Disneyland's Aladdin Musical Spectacular before it closed in 2016.
Kametz's family confirmed the actor's death in an update on the GoFundMe page they launched to help pay for his medical bills. The GoFundMe page will remain open until Tuesday, and any donations not used for Kametz's treatments will go to his celebration of life and funeral. His family asks that donations be made to the Colon Cancer Coalition in Kametz's honor.
"Anyone who has met Billy will tell you he is one of the most sincere, humble, and loving people they have ever met," his obituary reads. "His infectious personality and smile always lit up a room with so much joy and happiness. Billy always left a positive impression on anyone he came in contact with. His love for his family, friends, and girlfriend [were] always most important to him and that love will carry on forever."
Kametz was born on March 22, 1987, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He died at M.S. Hershey Medical Center. The actor is survived by his parents, William and Cheryl Kametz; sister Nikki Kametz Lees; brother-in-law Greg; his nephew; his two uncles; his aunt; and his girlfriend, Erica Lindbeck. His family scheduled viewing on Wednesday at Matinchek Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Middletown, Pennsylvania. His funeral is on Saturday.
Kametz began voice acting in 1995. He voiced characters in over 100 projects, including English-language Anime dubs, video games, and other animated shows. His credits include Pokemon, Attack on Titan, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, Beastars, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Final Fantasy Brave Exvius: War of the Visions, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In 2020, he won the Best English VA Performance at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards for The Rising of the Shield Hero.
Kametz told fans on Instagram he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in April. He said he was "doing OK" and had already begun chemotherapy and radiation treatments. "It sucks, it's just a freak of nature thing that happened that I just gotta deal with now and we're gonna do it," Kametz said, notes Today. "I'm staying really positive, and that's the biggest reason that I wanted to make this video. It's just to let you know that I have so much support, so much positivity surrounding me... I just want to let you guys know that I'm not going to quit, I'm not going to stop fighting, and I'm gonna get through this."
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths among American men and women combined. Although the disease is commonly associated with older patients, there is an increase in younger Americans being diagnosed. The CDC recommends beginning regular screenings at age 45, but symptoms should not be ignored. Some symptoms include weakness, fatigue, blood in the stool, cramping, abdominal pain, and sudden weight loss.