Paul Teal , best known for his role as Josh Avery in Season 7 of the beloved teen drama One Tree Hill , passed away on November 15 at the age of 35. His fiancé, Emilia Torello , confirmed the tragic news in a deeply emotional social media post, honoring Teal’s memory and revealing the heartbreaking details of his battle with cancer.

Emilia shared a monochrome photo of herself kissing Paul, captioning it, “The most loving, self-disciplined, driven, inspirational, and thoughtful man passed away. Paul, you were my soulmate, my rock, and my future.” She revealed that Paul had been diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer in April. Despite his valiant fight, he succumbed to the illness just seven months later at a hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Her heartfelt post continued, “You filled my lungs with laughter, my stomach with butterflies, and my heart with love. You were taken too soon, in a battle you fought bravely. While a part of me died with you, I promise to fight for joy in life, as you fought so hard to live every day.” Emilia concluded, “I will love you forever. The world was lucky to have you, and I am the luckiest to have called you mine.”

Tributes poured in following the news, including from his One Tree Hill co-star Bethany Joy Lenz . She described Paul as someone who “lit up a room without trying,” adding, “He was shy, funny, and dedicated. At 35, he’s taken another train—far too young. Paul, your time here was unforgettable.”

Beyond One Tree Hill, Paul had a prolific career, appearing in shows like Dynasty and Fear Street Part 2: 1978. He also completed filming the upcoming Starz series The Hunting Wives while battling cancer. A talented stage actor, he performed leading roles in productions such as Newsies and Rent. Paul’s legacy as an actor and a person continues to inspire.