Tragic way Kelley Mack's boyfriend helped Walking Dead star in brave final months

The Walking Dead star Kelley Mack credited her boyfriend with "always being by my side" before her tragic death aged 33.

The actress, who had a rare form of cancer, was best known for playing the role of Addy in the popular zombie drama.

The sad news of her death was announced in a post on her Instagram page, which read: "It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley. Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go." It comes after reports that James Whale said 'I'm happy to go now' just hours before his death.

READ MORE: Kelley Mack dead: The Walking Dead star dies aged 33 after cancer battle

READ MORE: Gregg Wallace trying to 'earn a living' after MasterChef exit amid 'battle every day'

The statement continued: "Kelley passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present. Kelley has already come to many of her loved ones in the form of various butterflies. She will be missed by so many to depths that words cannot express."

Kelley previously announced that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in September and was undergoing aggressive treatment as a result. Kelley played Addy in five episodes of The Walking Dead in 2018 but had also appeared in 9-1-1, Chicago Med and TV film Mr. Manhattan.

The actress was in a relationship with Logan Lanier, first going public in a social media post in November 2023.

While not much is known about Logan, Kelley revealed that the pair had moved in together just months before her tragic death. They celebrated the relationship milestone with a Halloween housewarming party a month later.

She wrote in a post" "In September, I moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend, Logan. For a month after that, I had persistent lower back pain and thought I slipped a disc. A few weeks later, I had neuropathic itching in my right quad.

"And then, the shooting pains in my legs and back began, which resulted in me having to sleep in a recliner for a month because laying down was too painful. On Thanksgiving Eve, I had emergency MRIs done at the hospital, which revealed an abnormal mass in my spinal cord."

"Fast forward to now – I have been diagnosed with #diffusemidlineglioma, an extremely rare type of #astrocytoma #cancer. Due to the biopsy surgery on my spinal cord, I have lost the use of my right leg and most of my left leg, so I now get around with a walker and a wheelchair," she further wrote.

"I am very grateful to have such a supportive and loving family and boyfriend, who have been with me every second of this process. It has been a very emotional and challenging time, truly testing my mental fortitude, faith, and physical strength."

Kelley later shared a video of her walking up a staircase with Logan's help. "I've been up and down these stairs now 2x in the past few days," she wrote on Instagram in March. "It's a big deal for me. (Life has also had its ups and downs lately am I right lol)," she said.

In March, the pair looked smitten on a date night to a golf simulator. Kelley captioned the snap: "My love, always by my side, practicing at an indoor golf simulator."

READ MORE: 'I'm trying to cut down my alcohol intake and this 99p low-calorie drink converted me'