Actor Erik Jensen has been diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer, his wife Jessica Blank has confirmed. The news comes almost two years after the Walking Dead actor suffered a brain aneurysm. Jessica started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help pay for any health-related costs.
The fundraiser page says the cancer “has metastasized to his liver.” She added that Erik’s biggest hope is if doctors “have a shot at shrinking the tumors enough to do two very major surgeries and get them all out.”
She added that the two were struggling financially as her actor husband has faced a “lack of streaming residuals” over the past few years, a sticking point among SAG-AFTRA union members as they currently strike for a fair deal. Since July, most of Hollywood has been shut down as no actors are working. This has also affected Erik and Jessica’s financial situation.
The actor’s wife has pointed out that Erik is in “serious risk” of losing insurance from the union since it is striking currently. She asked fans to help in any way they could if possible, and fans have been coming through.
Since the GoFundMe was started last Wednesday, the page has received around $104,000 (around £85,000) out of the page’s $300,000 goal (about £247,000). On the page, fans have left comments as they donated.
“I met Erik when I first got into casting and immediately fell in love with him, both as a person and an actor. Sending love and healing thoughts to him, Jessica and their daughter,” one person wrote. Another added: “Every penny matters. Keep fighting the good fight. #twdfamily.”
Co-stars and other members of The Walking Dead family have shared their support on social media for Erik. “One of TWD’s own could use a little help. Erik Jensen, who played Dr. Steven Edwards in S5 was just diagnosed with cancer, and it’s a time of great uncertainty for him and his family,” Scott Gimple wrote on social media, who was an executive producer for the zombie show.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who was also on the show but never had a scene with Erik, wrote on Twitter: “Never had the chance to work with Erik… until now anyway. Only have heard many things about what a great guy he is. I do know he and his could use some help…. Of any and all kind.”
Erik starred as Steven Edwards on The Walking Dead, and worked full time as a director and writer as he battled his cancer. The page mentioned that Erik “is a deeply devoted father” to his daughter Sadie, 13, and referred to Jessica as “his partner in art and life for the last 23 years.”
In other news – Emerging filmmakers honored with Student Academy Awards at 50th anniversary ceremony
Student filmmakers from around the world received medals from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 2023 Student Academy Awards on Tuesday. The 14 winners were chosen from 2,443 entries received from 720 colleges and universities for the 50th annual awards, established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 2024 Oscars in the animated short film, live action short film and documentary short film categories. Past winners have gone on to receive 67 Oscar nominations and 15 awards. Read More
