Isabelle Adora Tate, a 23-year-old actress who recently appeared in the premiere of ABC’s 9-1-1: Nashville, died on Sunday, October 20, 2025. The McCray Agency, her talent representation, confirmed that Tate had been battling a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Kim McCray, owner of the McCray Agency, revealed that Isabelle passed away peacefully on October 19, though subsequent reports confirmed the date as October 20. The agency told Fox News Digital that Tate passed away peacefully in her sleep, with the disease affecting not only her legs but potentially internal organs including the lungs and heart. The family has requested privacy while dealing with what McCray described as a sudden and shocking loss.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a rare multisystem disorder causing lifelong, progressive symptoms including muscle weakness and atrophy in the arms and legs, sensory loss, and complications with balance, walking, and hand use. According to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, while CMT typically is not fatal and most people with the condition live to a normal age, rare cases can weaken breathing muscles, particularly during sleep, requiring nighttime breathing assistance.
Tate had been open about her health struggles on social media. In a 2022 Instagram post, she revealed being diagnosed with the progressive neuromuscular disease at age 13. She explained that the condition weakened her leg muscles over time and that she had recently come to terms with needing to use a wheelchair at times to live her life to the fullest. She acknowledged the difficult journey of accepting help and surrendering to the progression of her condition, admitting it had broken her down not only physically but also spiritually during her struggle to accept it.
Despite her challenges, Tate wrote that while she did not know why these were the cards she was dealt in life, she could not change it and was choosing to embrace it rather than let it define her. Her obituary described her as “full of fire, a fighter, never once making excuses for the fact that she might have a disability relative to others.”
The Nashville native had recently returned to acting after essentially giving up on her dream due to her condition. 9-1-1: Nashville was the first series she auditioned for upon her return, and she booked the role. She played Julie in the pilot episode, which was filmed in June and first aired on October 9. In the episode, her character attends a bachelorette party and receives a dance from stripper-turned-firefighter Blue, played by Hunter McVey, after another woman blocks her view and calls her “hot wheels” because she uses a wheelchair.
McVey shared that he was shocked to hear the news and had not known Isabelle prior to filming. He recalled being terrified and nervous on one of his first days on set, noting that after each take they would exchange supportive words from her. He expressed gratitude for the chance to work with Isabelle and stated that a part of her will live on forever in the pilot episode.
McCray, who had known Tate since she was a teenager, expressed pride in her accomplishment. According to Fox News Digital, an in-memoriam end card will appear in next week’s episode of 9-1-1: Nashville honoring the young actress.
Beyond acting, Tate was described as an animal lover who wanted to change the world and spent much of her time volunteering. She was musically inclined, often spending hours writing and recording songs with friends and even publishing a few. Her obituary emphasized that what she loved most was spending time with family and friends, always being the life of the party.
According to her obituary, “Her sister was her best friend and her mom was her shining beacon of light.” Before pursuing acting, Tate attended Middle Tennessee State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association in Tate’s memory. Country music legend Alan Jackson, 67, is another public figure living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Diagnosed in 2021, he recently announced his final concert will take place in June 2026 as he retires from performing due to the condition.
Tate is survived by her mother, Katerina Kazakos Tate; stepfather, Vishnu Jayamohan; father, John Daniel Tate; and sister, Daniella Tate. Her funeral took place on Friday, October 25, 2025.
McCray Agency thanked casting directors Mark Fincannon and Shelby along with Caroline Locorriere for encouraging Tate’s return to acting, and Lora Sorrentino for ensuring her set experience was positive. The agency expressed deep sadness and heartbreak over the loss of the young actress who had recently reignited her passion for performance.
