Charles Porter, 1979 – 2026

Actor and producer Charles F. Porter, 47, died of Hodgkin lymphoma on Nov. 2. Porter played football for Duke University, then began acting in the early 2000s. He appeared in such movies and TV shows as Close to Home, My Crazy Life, The Parkers, The Hitman Chronicles, House, Bones, Without a Trace, Don’t Fade Away, and Movie Star Idol, and starred as NASCAR driver Wendell Scott in 2011’s Wendell Scott: A Race Story. He segued into religious glurge, appearing in BET’s A Miracle Before Christmas and Christmas Angel. He founded the production company Black Bench Productions, through which he produced and acted in last year’s TV-movie Finding Faith. Porter also published two books of poetry, Get to Know: Unlocking the Essence in You, and Choose Your Path. He wrote on his blog, “We often hear, hard work pays off. We drive ourselves into exhaustion at times thinking about what's next. We put out one fire just in time to see the smoke rising from another, yet still we continue to pursue our dreams. Why? I love it. I love to push myself to new heights and enjoying the views. As we rise to new heights—in whatever field, as we accomplish new task and goals during our journey, one must stay grounded.”