Isabelle Adora Tate, a 23-year-old actress who recently made her television debut on the ABC series 9-1-1: Nashville, died on Sunday, October 19, 2025. The Nashville native passed away surrounded by family and friends just 10 days after appearing in the show’s pilot episode, which aired on October 9.
Tate’s talent agency, The McCray Agency, confirmed her cause of death as a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a progressive neuromuscular condition she had battled since age 13. According to agency owner Kim McCray, “Isabelle ‘Izzy’ Tate had a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. She passed away peacefully on the 19th of October.”
The agency requested privacy for the family while dealing with what they described as a sudden and shocking loss. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorial contributions be made to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a rare multi-system condition that causes lifelong, progressive symptoms including muscle weakness and atrophy in the arms and legs, sensory loss, and complications with balance and walking. The condition can also affect internal organs like the lungs and brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Symptoms vary widely among individuals but commonly include muscle weakness, difficulty walking, balance problems, numbness, chronic pain, spinal deformities, fatigue, hearing loss, and in some cases, breathing difficulties.
Tate had openly shared her health journey with followers on social media. In a December 2022 Instagram post, she revealed that she was diagnosed with the progressive neuromuscular disease at 13, which weakened her leg muscles over time. The actress explained that the condition had recently progressed to the point where she needed to use a wheelchair at times if she wanted to live her life to the fullest.
She wrote at the time that accepting help and surrendering to the progression of her condition had been extremely difficult, noting that the disease was breaking her down not only physically but also spiritually. Despite not knowing why she was dealt these particular cards in life, Tate emphasized her choice to embrace her condition rather than let it define her. She encouraged others to practice kindness and compassion, reminding people that they never truly know what someone else is going through.
In the 9-1-1: Nashville pilot episode, Tate played Julie, a bachelorette party guest who receives a dance from stripper-turned-firefighter Blue, portrayed by Hunter McVey. The role was filmed in June 2025. McVey later expressed his shock at hearing the news of Tate’s death, stating that he was terrified and nervous on one of his first days on set, but that Tate’s supportive words after each take helped him through the experience. He described her as having great energy and noted that she brought joy to many people.
The series, which stars Chris O’Donnell, Jessica Capshaw, and LeAnn Rimes, will honor Tate with an in memoriam end card during the episode airing on Thursday, October 30.
An obituary shared by a local funeral home described Tate as someone who wanted to change the world. The Nashville native, who was raised in the Franklin community, graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in business. Her family noted that she loved volunteering her time for various causes, particularly those involving animals, and that her idea of a fun outing was visiting an animal shelter to spend time with the animals.
The obituary portrayed her as being full of fire and a fighter who never made excuses for any disability she might have had relative to others. She was also musically inclined, often spending hours writing and recording songs with friends and occasionally publishing her work. Above all, Tate loved spending time with family and friends and was described as the life of the party. Her sister was reportedly her best friend, and her mother was her shining beacon of light.
McCray, who had known Tate since she was a teenager, noted that the actress had recently returned to acting when she booked the role on 9-1-1: Nashville. It was the first series Tate auditioned for after returning to the industry, and she had a wonderful time on set.
Makeup artist Jennifer Garner, who worked with Tate on episode one of the series, expressed her condolences on Instagram, calling Tate a beautiful spirit who would be missed.
Public visitation for Tate was scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, October 24, at Forest Hills Methodist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, followed by a service officiated by Reverend Jim Hughes. She is survived by her mother, Katerina Kazakos Tate; stepfather, Vishnu Jayamohan; father, John Daniel Tate; and sister, Daniella Tate.
