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“Game of Thrones” actor Michael Patrick died after a yearslong battle with motor neurone disease. He was 35.
Patrick’s longtime writing partner, Oisín Kearney, confirmed his death in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling him “an actor of epic proportions.”
“He was able to make an audience laugh or cry in an instant,” Kearney said. “As a writer, he could express the knife-edge of comedy and tragedy that is human experience. He was a firm believer that a play should never bore and always entertain. Michael dealt with his diagnosis with bravery and humility, showed us how we can do better when it comes to disabilities, and he could always make you smile. I am so proud to call him my creative partner and even prouder to say he was my friend. He will go down as one of Ireland’s greats.”
The actor’s wife, Naomi Sheehan, announced his death on Wednesday with an emotional Instagram post, writing, “Mick sadly passed away in the Northern Ireland Hospice.” He died on Tuesday, April 7, after receiving his motor neurone disease diagnosis in February 2023.
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“He was admitted 10 days ago and was cared for by the incredible team there,” she wrote. “He passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Words can’t describe how broken-hearted we are.”
“It’s been said more than once that Mick was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, not just in the past few years during his illness but in every day of his life,” she continued. “He lived a life as full as any human can live. Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter.”
She went on to call Patrick “a titan of a ginger haired man,” and expressed her gratitude to “every person who supported us through the last few years.”
“Mick loved this quote from Brendan Behan and this feels appropriate now: ‘The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you,'” she said. “So, don’t overthink it. Eat. Drink. Love.”
Sheehan ended the caption with her signature, writing, “Naomi – Mick’s wife.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, motor neurone disease is “a group of neurological disorders that gradually destroy your motor neurons.” Motor neurons control muscle movements that happen without the body needing to think about them, such as “breathing, swallowing, chewing, talking and walking.”
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When diagnosed with the disease, the “motor neurons gradually become damaged over time, leading to disability and eventually death.” There is currently no cure.
In addition to “Game of Thrones,” Patrick also appeared in “The Keeper,” “The Spectacular,” “Unhinged,” “This Town” and other projects.
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