Almost $100,000 has been raised in her memory so far.
Rachael Lillis, who voiced both Misty and Jessie in the Pokémon anime has died age 46 after a battle with breast cancer. In a statement on X, her fellow voice actor Veronica Taylor announced that Lillis passed away on August 10.
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Statement pays tribute to "extraordinary talent" Rachael Lillis
The statement shared by Veronica Taylor, who voiced Ash in the Pokémon anime, read as follows:
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.
With love, Veronica
It was first revealed that Lillis was diagnosed with breast cancer back in May 2024. At this point, the cancer had spread to her spine and she had been in a nursing home since January. There was a huge outpouring of support for the voice actor, with hundreds of Pokémon fans donating to her GoFundMe page. The initial goal of $20,000 was reached in less than 24 hours. This money was raised for both her medical bills but also for a memorial service and "causes in her name-specifically toward efforts to combat cancer."
As it stands, the GoFundMe has now raised almost $100,000. Donations have once again begun pouring in after news of her passing was shared. Her sister, Laurie, said that Rachael was moved by the outpouring of support on the GoFundMe when it was launched.
Throughout her career, Lillis voiced several characters in the Pokémon anime. As well as the iconic Jessie and Misty, she also voiced Vulpix, Jigglypuff, Venonat, Goldeen, Torchic and Beautifly. Across all these characters, she appeared in a huge 423 episodes. Her last appearance was in 2015, with her first coming all the way back in 1997.
As well as her work on Pokémon, Lillis has 127 credits as an actress on IMDB, including other projects like Lego Jurrasic World, Hunter x Hunter and Winx Club.
