Recreation of Thrones actor Michael Patrick spoke candidly about his battle with Motor Neurone Illness (MND) previous to his dying at age 35.
Michael’s dying was introduced by way of Instagram on April 8, 2026, by his spouse Naomi Sheehan, who shared that her husband — whom she affectionately known as “Mick” — had succumbed to the neurodegenerative illness after 10 days in a Belfast, Northern Eire, hospice care heart. (Per the Mayo Clinic, MND impacts the nerve cells within the mind and spinal wire and regularly weakens the muscle mass controlling speech, swallowing and limb motion.)
“[Mick] was admitted [to hospice] 10 days in the past and was cared for by the unimaginable crew there. He handed peacefully surrounded by household and pals. Phrases can’t describe how broken-hearted we’re,” Sheehan wrote.
Patrick was each an actor and a playwright who appeared in a Recreation of Thrones season 6 episode as a Wildling. He additionally used his personal battle with MND as inspiration for his hit play My Proper Foot, which examined how he coped with being identified with the identical illness that killed his father.
Preserve scrolling for extra about what Patrick mentioned about his prognosis.
Michael Patrick Observed More and more Scary Signs
Michael Patrick defined on the “Mind and Life” podcast in January 2026 that he first puzzled whether or not one thing was amiss whereas performing in a play on the Dublin Fringe competition in late 2022.
“I needed to dance in it and I saved falling over, tripping on my footwear,” he recalled. “I saved blaming my footwear, saved saying, ‘Why have they bought me dancing in these huge chunky footwear? It’s not honest.’ But it surely didn’t get higher.”
Michael was suggested by his spouse’s aunt to get himself checked out due to his household’s historical past with MND. By the point Michael noticed his docs, he may not “raise [his] proper foot” and “couldn’t level [his] toes to the ceiling.”
He was formally identified with Motor Neurone Illness in February 2023.
Michael Patrick’s Father Died from MND
The This City actor regarded again on his preliminary response to the prognosis whereas talking to RTE in August 2025. Michael Patrick naturally puzzled how lengthy he would realistically should reside since his father beforehand died of MND.
“My dad was identified in February and he died that October,” Michael recalled. “There wasn’t a lot time with him. I’m considering, ‘Am I gonna [die] in October?’ Fortunately, I haven’t.”
He shared on the “Mind and Life” podcast that his household “appears to be the one one in Eire with the gene” for a uncommon type of MND.
“I’ve the FUS MND familial inherited model of 4 genes which might be recognized to trigger MND and familial MND. One’s the FUS gene,” he defined. “I feel it’s one of many rarer of the 4.”
Michael Patrick Took Half in Scientific Drug Trials
In September 2023, Michael Patrick was accepted right into a drug trial for a possible remedy for MND. The preliminary outcomes have been promising as he “noticed the primary reversal of signs” inside weeks of beginning the trial.
“I can now wiggle my proper foot [and] toes for the primary time in about two years. It’s small,” he advised the “Mind and Life” podcast in January 2026. “And my respiratory’s nonetheless going until I get a tracheotomy, and my arm’s nonetheless getting weaker, however reality is there may be some reversal there, which is de facto thrilling.”
He praised the “degree of care you get and assist” he’d obtained from his medical crew since starting the trial.
Michael Patrick’s Mates and Household Rallied to Assist Him
Within the wake of Michael Patrick’s MND prognosis, his family and friends arrange a GoFundMe account to assist pay for specialised care that comes with getting a tracheostomy. (Patrick’s docs really useful that he get a tracheostomy — a surgical incision to open up an airway — to assist together with his respiratory.)
The fundraising enchantment has raised greater than £110,000 in opposition to a £100k aim, as of publication.
“Everybody’s been superb,” he mentioned on the “Mind and Life” podcast. “I’ve bought an important assist community with my household and my spouse. I bought married two days earlier than I began the drug trial, so she’s superb. My pals from faculty not too long ago raised £100,000 via a GoFundMe account for me for assist and stuff. So I’ve a variety of assist. Household and pals are actually superb and I can’t thank them sufficient.”
Michael Patrick Provided a Well being Replace Weeks Earlier than His Demise
Michael Patrick revealed by way of Instagram in February 2026 that he’d been advised by his neurologist that he “seemingly [had] about one 12 months left.” He spent “over per week” within the hospital discussing the sensible realities if he went forward with a tracheostomy process.
“In brief I’m not going forward with the tracheostomy,” he introduced. “I had affirmation it will be round 6-12 months earlier than I may get house as a consequence of lack of staffing assets. Thanks a lot to everybody who helped push this — from senior social staff, to politicians, to the chief government of the hospital. Everybody has tried so exhausting, however there simply isn’t the workers.”
Michael determined that he didn’t wish to “threat a major period of time” within the hospital if he was within the end-stages of MND.
“Thanks a lot for all of the donations to the GoFundMe, regardless that I didn’t go forward with the tracheostomy — it is going to nonetheless go in direction of offering me with specialist care as I enter the ultimate levels of life. I’m nonetheless overwhelmed by all of your generosity,” he concluded.
Michael died on April 7, 2026, after being hospitalized within the Northern Eire Hospice for 10 days.
