Michael Weatherly is a well-known public figure thanks to his years of work on TV shows including the original NCIS and Bull, both on CBS. More recently, however, the actor opened up about a tragedy in his personal life. He revealed that his brother, Will Weatherly, passed away in April, and did so with a touching message in his brother's honor.
Will Weatherly passed away on April 20, and Michael Weatherly took some time before announcing the loss to the public via social media. In doing so, he shared not only some kind words of reflection, but also a sweet photo of the Weatherly brothers together. Take a look at the former NCIS star's Twitter post:
My younger brother Will Weatherly shed his mortal coil on April 20th, 2023 and now continues his journey through the universe. He always liked to travel. As difficult as it is say goodbye- for friends and family- we know there is a smile with his memory. Rest in peace, brother. pic.twitter.com/uJ8dBNx5mLApril 29, 2023
The actor didn't elaborate with any details about his brother's cause of death or the circumstances of his passing, but did address the difficulty of saying goodbye to friends as well as family. Michael Weatherly's message had some sweetness to go with the bitter news, mentioning his brother Will's love of travel and a "smile with his memory."
In addition to his brother Will, Michael Weatherly has a sister named Leigh. The message in honor of Will's death isn't the first time that the actor has posted about his siblings on social media. He shared another photo with Will and Leigh back in 2015, with the three siblings looking happy outdoors in 1986. Born in 1968, Weatherly would have been 17- or 18-years-old at the time, depending on when in the year it was taken. Take a look:
80's Weatherly Family photo! Hi brother Will and sister Leigh! Circa '86 pic.twitter.com/SiACbrReAXApril 28, 2015
Unsurprisingly after spending nearly twenty years in primetime on popular CBS shows, Michael Weatherly has received strong responses from fans on social media, expressing condolences and sharing their own stories. At the time of writing, the tweet announcing his brother's death has been retweeted more than 200 times and received nearly 10,000 likes.
Many of Michael Weatherly's fans clearly are sticking with him in the wake of Bull wrapping on CBS, as the show ended in early 2022 and the actor has not taken on a new project in the year since. Following the end of Bull, NCIS boss Steven D. Binder shared that, per a conversation with the actor, Weatherly intended to take some time off from work and rest after going straight from NCIS to Bull.
Whether or not Weatherly ever does return to NCIS is unknown at this point, although rumors have swirled since late 2022 that he would reprise his role as Tony DiNozzo and perhaps even come back for a "Tiva" reunion with former co-star Cote de Pablo. On the heels of NCIS' first (and only, thanks to NCIS: LA ending) three-part crossover with two spinoffs, the show was renewed for Season 21, so DiNozzo returning isn't impossible.
For now, we can just hope that Michael Weatherly and his family are getting all of the support and privacy they need in this difficult time after the loss of his brother.
