Ron Ely, best known for acting in Tarzan television series, died. He was 86 years old.
Ron’s daughter, Kirsten Ely, confirmed the sad news in an Instagram post on Wednesday, October 23. She did not specify how and when the actor died.
“The world lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I lost my father,” she wrote in the post. “My father was someone people called a hero. He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader. He created a powerful wave of positive influence wherever he went.”
“The impact he had on others is something I have never witnessed in any other person – there was something truly magical about him. This is how the world knew him,” she continued.
Continuing, Kirsten said of her father: “I knew him as my father – and what an honor that was from heaven. To me, he hung the moon. My father was my world – and what an amazing world he created. He was is brilliant and funny. He was dynamic and powerful. He was humble and the respect he deserved.”
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She also described his life story as one of “relentless tenacity, undying devotion to his family and friends, courage to do what was right and a willingness to make sacrifices to make the dreams of those he loved come true.”
“It was also a story of joy and love – something that everyone close to him had the privilege of experiencing,” she wrote. “Once you knew my father’s love, the world became a brighter and more meaningful place. I’m doing my best to walk this path of loss with the strength and grace I know he would have wanted for me. I’m picking up the pieces of my heart that I feel are pieces of him— and fixing them firmly in place before I pick up the rest of the broken pieces. It makes me feel like a part of him is still here—and I need it—and the world needs it.”
On a final note, Kirsten said her “greatest comfort is knowing my dad is with my mom and my brother,” referring to the 2019 incident involving Ron’s son, Cameron, and his wife, Valerie Ely. Cameron, 30, allegedly stabbed and killed his mother, Valerie, on October 15, 2019. Cameron was later shot and killed by police.
“It is also my biggest sadness because I miss everyone so much that it is etched in my soul,” Kirsten wrote in her tribute. “I will proudly carry all my favorite parts – lovingly cemented in my heart – until we all meet again.”
Ron Ely as Tarzan.
NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Fatal killing of Tarzan actor Ron Ely’s son Cameron ruled ‘justifiable homicide’
Ron played the iconic character Tarzan on NBC from 1966 to 1968. He later appeared in other famous shows including The boat of love, Fantasy islandand Wonder Woman.
He also acted in the film from 1975 Doc Savage: Man of Iron and Bronze. His last on-screen role came in 2014 in a television movie Expecting Amish. The actor has not appeared on screen since, although his IMDb page shows that he was supposed to be involved in an upcoming project titled Mesopotamia.
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Years before his death, as well as the deaths of his wife and son, Ron spoke of his family, describing them as close and loving.
In a 2012 Comic-Con interview with the website Fanboy Planet, Ron explained his decision to leave acting to spend time with his family and three children. “I am completely devoted to my wife and children,” he said. “That’s why I quit my job because I wanted to devote more time to raising my children.”
Ron said in 2013 for Daily Express: “Later in life I had a young family. I decided to stop acting and work at home, as an author, so that I could be with the kids throughout school and attend their sports games and such.”
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