Isabelle Tate's cause of death has come to light.
The 9-1-1: Nashville actress died from a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an inherited neurological disorder, on Oct. 19, her talent agent Kim McCray told Entertainment Weekly. She was 23.
MCray added that Tate "passed away peacefully" and that the rising star's family "requests privacy as they deal with this sudden and shocking loss."
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease—also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy—causes nerve damage in the arms and legs, per Mayo Clinic. Symptoms, which may also include muscle weakness and atrophy, typically show up during the teen years or early adulthood and could be exacerbated by another condition such as diabetes.
According to Isabelle, she was diagnosed with the condition when she was 13.
"Recently, it's really progressed and I've come to terms that if I was to live my life to the fullest, I need to use a wheelchair at times," she wrote in a 2022 Instagram post. "This has been a difficult journey for me because having to accept help and surrender to the progression of this condition has been extremely hard."
“I don’t know why these were the cards I dealt with in my life, but I can’t change it so I’m choosing to embrace it,” Isabelle continued. “This has really changed my perspective on life and if I’ve learned anything from this it’s to appreciate the little things that are easily taken for granted."
As she put it, “You really never know what someone else is going through, so please always be kind and compassionate.”
In her online obituary, Isabelle's family said she "wanted to change the world."
“Isabelle loved volunteering her time to all things, particularly animals—her idea of a fun outing was visiting an animal shelter and doling out lots of love,” they shared. “Isabelle was full of fire, a fighter, never once making excuses for the fact that she might have a disability relative to others.”
The family added, "What she loved the most, though, was spending time with family and friends, always the life of the party."
For a closer look at Isabelle's life, keep reading.
Isabelle's Dream
Isabelle Tate—born Aug. 8, 2002—was an aspiring actress, making her screen debut in the pilot episode of Ryan Murphy's new series 9-1-1: Nashville.
9-1-1: Nashville Debut
In the Oct. 9 episode, she played Julie, a woman who was struggling to get a good view from her wheelchair at a strip club, where Captain Don Hart's estranged son Blue Bennings (Hunter McVey) was an exotic dancer.
When Julie and her friend couldn't see the show, she told the woman in front of them, "Sorry, you're blocking our view." The woman spat back, "Shut up, Hot Wheels."
When Blue saw the interaction—despite intimate physical contact from dancers being illegal in the city limits—he decided to give Julie an evening to remember with a very sensual lap dance.
Unfortunately, the club's manager wasn't too happy about it, slapping Blue—who later becomes a firefighter under Don (Chris O'Donnell)—on the wrist, reminding him that he's "not a person," but rather "a set of abs."
Sharing Her Truth
In 2022, Isabelle shared her Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease diagnosis—also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy—in an emotional message on Instagram.
"When I was 13, I got diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens my leg muscles over time," she wrote in the post. "Over the years, I was going on with my life and would notice little things get more difficult for me, but not so much where it stood out to me significantly."
"Recently, it's really progressed and I've come to terms that if I was to live my life to the fullest, I need to use a wheelchair at times," she continued. "This has been a difficult journey for me because having to accept help and surrender to the progression of this condition has been extremely hard."
She reflected on what she struggled with most as her muscles atrophied: accepting help and recognizing the progression of the condition.
"I hated that it was not only breaking me down physically, but I was allowing it to also break down my spirit," she explained. "I don't know why these were the cards I was dealt with in life, but I can't change it, so I'm choosing to embrace it and not let it define me."
More Than an Actress
While Isabelle made her acting debut in the latest 9-1-1 spinoff, she was also fond of songwriting, according to her obituary.
"She was also quite musically inclined," her family shared, "often spending hours writing and recording songs with friends and even publishing a few."
A Case of the Travel Bug
Despite Isabelle navigating her CMT diagnosis for nearly a decade before her death, she was sure to make the most of her time. Indeed, she documented her travels around the world with her sister Danielle Tate and her crew of friends. From Oahu, Hawaii, to Lisbon, Portugal, Isabelle was sure to enjoy some fun in the sun.
Nashville Pride
Isabelle—a Nashville, Tennessee, native—proved she was a true hockey fan by attending multiple Nashville Predators games with her sister.
A Love for Live Music
Along with sporting events, the actress also loved attending live music events. In fact, she and her friends were enchanted by Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour show in Nashville in May 2023. But her love for the activity went even further back as the then-16-year-old couldn't help but gush over Bazzi's performance at Music Midtown in 2018.