Tate, a Nashville native raised in the Franklin community, passed away surrounded by family and friends. She made her television debut earlier this month on “9-1-1: Nashville” alongside LeAnn Rimes and Chris O’Donnell.
“She was full of fire, a fighter, never once making excuses for the fact that she might have a disability relative to others,” her obituary states. Tate graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in business and was known for her passion to “change the world,” relatives said.
Her family described Tate as someone who “loved volunteering her time to all things, particularly animals — her idea of a fun outing was visiting an animal shelter and doling out lots of love.” Outside of her advocacy, Tate was musically gifted, often writing and recording original songs and sharing them with friends, sometimes even releasing tracks to the public.
Tate’s journey with a progressive neuromuscular disease also shaped her perspective, as she shared in a heartfelt public Instagram post in December 2022. “When I was 13, I got diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens my leg muscles over time,” Tate wrote.
She relayed the challenges that came with accepting her evolving condition, adding, “I don't know why these were the cards I was dealt in life, but I can't change it so I'm choosing to embrace it and not let it define me.” Tate openly encouraged kindness and compassion, stating, “You really never know what someone else is going through, so please always be kind and compassionate.”
Friends and family recalled her as “the life of the party,” noting that her greatest joys came from spending time with loved ones. “Her sister was her best friend and her mom was her shining beacon of light,” her obituary said. She is survived by her mother, Katerina Kazakos Tate; stepfather, Vishnu Jayamohan; father, John Daniel Tate; and sister, Daniella Tate.
Public visitation is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. Friday, at Forest Hills Methodist Church in Brentwood, followed by a service officiated by Rev. Jim Hughes.
The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made in Tate’s honor to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. Messages and memories may be shared on Tate’s Tribute Wall.