‘When Calls the Heart’ Staple Dies Suddenly at Home: Nathaniel Pelletier Was 53

Nathaniel “Nate” Pelletier, an actor and crew member on Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart, has died. He was 53.

Pelletier “passed away suddenly” on Friday, April 11 while alone at home in Langley, British Columbia, according to his obituary. A cause of death was not disclosed.

“He was only with us 53 short years but he touched many lives with his generosity and extraordinary work ethic,” the obituary read. “He was always there to lend a helping hand when needed and most times, before it was asked of him. He was charismatic and loved to meet new people, greeting them with his big smile and a warm hearty hand shake.”

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Born Oct. 15, 1971, in Toronto, Pelletier is best remembered for When Calls the Heart, the popular Hallmark drama that premiered in 2014 and stars Erin Krakow as Elizabeth Thatcher, a young schoolteacher from a wealthy family who moves from the big city to teach school in a small coal mining town in the west. Pelletier appeared on the series throughout Season 9, 10, and 11 in an uncredited role as a taxi driver, per his IMDb profile. He also served on the series’ transportation team from 2022 to 2024.

Per his obituary, Pelletier referenced his When Calls the Heart “work-family” as his “second greatest love,” with many of his colleagues sharing emotional tributes to him following his passing.

“Nate was all heart, a true ‘Unicorn’, smashing every 14 hour day with a wide smile & endless cheer for all,” the show’s production manager Mike Magnusson said of Pelletier in a tribute shared to the show’s official Instagram page. “He ‘saw’ people, and was always there with a kind word. He leaves a void of spirit we will not be able to replace. Nate you were one of a kind, and we loved you. You will be sorely missed my friend.”

Martin Cummins, who stars in When Calls the Heart as Henry Gowen, also paid tribute to Pelletier, writing “I have spent more hours at work sitting in the blue room, in silence or in conversation with Gord and Nate than I have standing on tape with the camera rolling. Gord has always felt like a father figure to me, and Nate and I were his boys running around the town, hanging out in the woods and talking s–.”

Cummins went on to reflect on how “life is constantly changing,” adding, “Things are never the same. The Valley will not be the same without Nathaniel Pelletier. He was a gentle soul and it was my honor to call him friend.”

Pelletier, who also “loved to cook and bake cookies and bars, entertain his friends and family and wrote many poems,” is survived his daughter, Myhrsades, “his greatest love,” as well as his mother, father, two brothers, two stepbrothers, stepsister, nephew, and godmother.