Fans have been following William Shatner’s stories through various highs and lows, including his cancer diagnosis in 2023. However, the situation was complicated at the time, as his daughter was facing similar issues. Recently, both father and daughter opened up about the story with various outlets.
Star Trek Actor William Shatner Has Three Daughters, With Melanie Being His Youngest Child
Over the years, William Shatner has become known for a number of famous roles. For many, he is best known as Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise in the original Star Trek television series. He is also known for his work in T.J. Hooker, The Practice, and Boston Legal.
In his personal life, Shatner has three daughters. These are Leslie, Lisabeth, and Melanie. Recently, the actor opened up about a journey that he and his daughter Melanie found themselves both facing.
Back in 2023, William was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain. Around this time, Melanie was undergoing treatment for stage 4 breast cancer.
During a recent interview with People, the actor and the youngest of his three daughters opened up about facing these health concerns together. Melanie shared what a double whammy this was, noting, “I remember vividly thinking, ‘I don’t have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time.’”
However, William himself tried to look at the bright side of things. He shared, “They said, ‘You got cancer. If you came in later, you would have been dead.’ See? That’s my life. I think the universe is taking care of me.”
The Father & Daughter Later Found Good News In Their Health Journeys
Melanie noted that her father insisted on paying for her pricey cancer treatment. She also recalled an emotional moment amid chemotherapy in which he truly comforted her. She shared, “I was having a moment and was hysterical. I called you and said, ‘I think I’m dying.’”
As Melanie explained, William arrived at her home 15 minutes later. She shared, “He gave me, what I think of ever since I was a little girl, a ‘daddy bear hug.’ He said, ‘This is going to be a blip in your life. You’re going to get through this, and it’ll be a memory.’”
Earlier this month, William also discussed learning about the news. As he shared with TV Insider, “When I got the news, and my daughter got her news of breast cancer at the same time — stage 4 breast cancer — she thought she was going to die. And she spent a year suffering torment until she gradually worked herself out.”
Similarly, William shared that he remained optimistic, noting, “I, on the other hand, said, ‘Really? Stage 4?’ It didn’t occur to me that I was going to die. It didn’t occur to me that bad fortune was going to happen.” Fortunately, both he and his daughter have since been declared cancer-free.
What is your reaction to William Shatner and Melanie’s recent share? Have you been following this story? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.