Kenneth Mitchell, Star Trek: Discovery and Captain Marvel Star, Dead at 49 from ALS 

Kenneth Mitchell has died, five years after being diagnosed with ALS. He was 49.

Mitchell, who was best known for his roles in Star Trek: Discovery, died on Saturday, according to a statement from his family shared on X (formerly Twitter).

“With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend,” read the post, which was also shared on Instagram.

“Ken was widely known as an actor in many films and television shows. He’s portrayed an Olympic hopeful, an apocalypse survivor, an astronaut, a superhero’s dad, and four unique Star Trekkers,” the statement continued.

Mitchell, who was born on Nov. 25, 1974 in Toronto, Canada, according to the statement, was the father of two children, Lilah and Kallum, whom he shared with his wife, 10 Things I Hate About You actress Susan May Pratt, and was described, among many qualities he possessed and roles he played in people's lives, as "Susan's partner and, more than anything else, a proud father."

“Ken was diligent and hardworking in everything he did, but as a father these traits found their fullest expression. He was extremely dedicated to being a positive and playful force in the lives of his children. Regardless of his later disabilities, Ken discovered a higher calling to be more fully himself for his kids. Ken will be forever proud of who his children have become,” his family wrote.

Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 and began using a wheelchair the following year. He shared his diagnosis publicly with PEOPLE in 2020.

His family wrote of his experience of the disease: “For five and a half years Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment to living a full and joyous life in each moment.”

“Ken is forever grateful for the massive amounts of love and endless support he received from his community along this journey. Especially the courage, resilience and strength displayed from his extraordinary wife, family and friends.”

Elsewhere, the statement honored Mitchell as "the keeper of countless enduring friendships. Like a massive star exploding with kindness, purity and a particular brand of silly, you were pulled right into his orbit. Once captured, Kenny could bathe you in positivity, compassion, thoughtfulness, and hilarity, and make you feel so loved."

His family also praised him as “a giver, a listener, a sentimentalist and an excellent observer of his surroundings."

In 2020, Mitchell shared that he was in “complete disbelief” when he was diagnosed with ALS two years before, after experiencing constant twitching in his muscles for several months.

"I do remember there was something really simple and beautiful in a way, how my wife and I were in the trenches together, and how we from this moment on we're having to deal with something so severe that was going to affect our lives forever," he told PEOPLE. "We grieved and mourned really hard. There was so much unknown."

The family decided to shift their focus to enjoying their time together while Mitchell was still healthy.

"I think it, over time, became the theme of us accepting this with grace," he said. "Trying to see the beauty in it, in a way. I'll never forget, one of my Star Trek costars told me, because they had dealt with some trying times with illnesses and stuff, and I remember them communicating to me, saying, 'You have a choice. You can look at this in many different ways, but maybe try to look at this like a gift where you get to experience life in a way that most people don't.'"

"From that point on, it became, 'Let's just spend time with the family,'" Mitchell continued. "We took a couple vacations. Pulled the kids out of school. We had meetings with all their schools, with the principal, the counselors, their teachers. Everyone was in support and understanding the situation and that we might be pulling them out of school more than most, just so we can spend some time together as a family while I was still healthy."

The Star Trek world also paid tribute to Mitchell following the news of his death, with a statement on StarTrek.com sharing that they are “deeply saddened” at his loss. 

“The entire Star Trek family sends their condolences to Mitchell’s family, friends, loved ones, and fans around the world.”

The actor played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, Tenavik and another character, Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery, and also voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, per StarTrek.com. 

In 2017, he told the website of his role as Kol: “Whether someone is good or bad is all about perspective, and it’s about understanding that culture. You’ll get to know the Klingons on our show, and then people can decide if we really are the villains.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Mitchell also starred in several other projects throughout his career, including as the father of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) in Captain Marvel and in TV shows including Nancy Drew, The Astronaut Wives Club, Jericho and Switched at Birth.