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“Star Trek” actor Kenneth Mitchell dead at 49 after ALS battle
Actor Kenneth Mitchell, known for his work on “Star Trek,” died Saturday, according to StarTrek.com. He was 49.
Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease, more than five years ago, according to a statement posted to his Instagram page. According to the statement, he faced “awful challenges” in those years.
“And in true 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 said. “He lived by the principles that each day is a gift and that we never walk alone.”
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects the nerve cells that make muscles work in both the upper and lower parts of the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease makes the nerve cells stop working and die.
In the U.S., more than 30,000 people are believed to be living with ALS, and an average of 5,000 people in the country are diagnosed with ALS each year. Most people with ALS live from two to five years after symptoms develop.
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On Aug. 10, the actor shared an Instagram post about what living with ALS was like.
“It’s been a long 5 years. So much lost, so much gained. Incredibly hard times, mixed with so many more blessings,” he wrote. “At the heart of it all are friends and family, caregivers and doctors coming to the aid of my family over and over and over again.”
Mitchell first publicly spoke about his diagnoses in a 2020 interview with PEOPLE.
“The moment that they told us it was [ALS], it was like I was in my own movie,” Mitchell told PEOPLE. “That’s what it felt like, like I was watching that scene where someone is being told that they have a terminal illness. It was just a complete disbelief, a shock.”
Mitchell appeared in several roles after his diagnosis.
He played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio, on “Star Trek: Discovery,” according to StarTrek.com. He also voiced several voice characters in an episode of “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”
Mitchell was also known for his work in the TV series “Jericho” and “The Astronaut Wives Club” and his acting in “Miracle” and “Captain Marvel.”
In the Instagram post announcing his death, Mitchell was remembered him as a daydreamer, nature explorer, cat lover and “more than anything else, a proud father.”
Mitchell is survived by his parents, his wife and their two children. According to StarTrek.com, Mitchell asked that any gifts be directed toward ALS research or toward his children.
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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