Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86 after battling Alzheimer’s and dementia

British actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 86.

Stewart, widely recognized for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28.

Kelly Bush Novak, the actor’s longtime spokesperson, confirmed the death and provided details on his final days.

She stated that Stewart died in the care of his wife, Sunny Ozell, following a period she described as a brief and poignant journey with his illnesses.

The actor was battling Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Family and friends gathered around Stewart in his final hours, sharing music, laughter, and tears as they said goodbye.

Stewart was born in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1940. He grew up in a working-class household and faced a childhood marked by domestic violence.

He developed an early passion for acting and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In 1966, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he built a strong reputation as a classical actor.

During his time at the company, he performed alongside future stars such as Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley.

Despite his success on the stage, Stewart remained relatively unknown to American audiences until he was 47 years old.

In 1987, he took the lead role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He commanded the USS Enterprise in a series that ran for seven seasons until 1994.

His portrayal of the character became an iconic part of television history. Phrases such as Engage and Make it so became closely associated with the franchise and the actor himself. Stewart later returned to the role in four feature films.