At the age of 95, William Shatner celebrated life with his daughter Melanie, who is 61, as they both overcame daunting health challenges. Melanie was diagnosed with an aggressive stage four breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. Fortunately, thanks to an intensive 18-month treatment plan that included chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation at UCLA Health, she is now cancer-free. William, meanwhile, attributes his survival to a successful immunotherapy treatment. Despite their victories over cancer, William admits he’s “fearful” about one specific aspect of death.
During a recent interview, the star of Boston Legal opened up about a new project: “My daughter and I have launched a podcast called No Time to Die. Three years ago, we were both faced with stage four cancer diagnoses. It’s through the incredible advancements in medicine that we are now both cancer-free.”
He continued, “Facing the possibility of having just months to live really sharpened my focus on my daughter, my family, and what I want to accomplish with whatever time I have left.”
“As I age, I’m constantly seeking answers because I fear dying with questions on my mind,” he shared. “What if there’s something I wanted to explore on ChatGPT? Imagine pondering the meaning of life and just as you grasp it—boom, you’re gone!”
He added to TVLine, “It’s the unknown and the realization of what you might never learn that frightens me. I get a rush from understanding and absorbing new information,” William reflected.
This heartbreaking admission comes just four months after it was reported that the veteran actor underwent surgery on his shoulder, which headlines claimed he’d “shattered” following a horror horse-riding accident.
William was forced to set the record straight, taking to social media with a graphic of an injured shoulder, he penned: “So I understand that tabloids say my shoulder was shattered. Dramatic. Colorful. Completely untrue.”
The Star Trek actor went on to explain: “It was a routine procedure. I’m so well that tomorrow I’ll be in Cleveland at a convention. Remember that tabloids don’t let facts get in the way of a good headline.”