Update: Due to an incorrect date of birth in her Wikipedia entry, the original version of this article had mistakenly listed Rachael’s age of death as 46. Both the Wikipedia page and this piece have since been corrected to display the correct age.
Accomplished voice artists and an actor well-known for her iconic roles in the Pokémon anime like Misty and Jessie, Rachael Lillis, has sadly passed at the age of 55 after battling breast cancer.
Aside from voicing over 400 episodes of the Pokémon TV series, along with numerous movies, Lillis’ career spanned other anime, cartoons, video games and more including Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sonic X and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Veronica Taylor, who originally voiced Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon anime, took to social media to share the news of Lillis’ passing as well as a heartfelt message, writing:
“It is with a very heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of Rachael Lillis on Saturday evening, 10 August, 2024.
“Rachael was an extraordinary talent, a bright light that shone through her voice whether speaking or singing. She will be forever remembered for the many animated roles she played, with her iconic performances as Pokémon’s Misty and Jessie being the most beloved.
“Rachael was so thankful for all of the generous love and support that was given to her as she battled with cancer. It truly made a positive difference. Her family also wishes to thank you as they take this time to grieve privately. A memorial is being planned for a future date.”
We may not have said it out loud, but you know we loved you, Misty. You were always the best.
-Ash https://t.co/ATqBxwIhah— Veronica Taylor (@TheVeronicaT) August 12, 2024
Lillis’ family also posted an update to a GoFundMe page that was originally set up to help pay for her medical treatments and other ongoing costs, thanking fans for all of their support to date and assuring them that they’d made a huge impact on the actor’s life through everything that had been donated.
Any remaining or new donations to the GFM (which you can find here) will now go to any remaining medical bills, a memorial service and donations in Rachael Lillis’ name towards efforts in researching and combatting cancer.
