Who is Melle Stewart? Ben Lewis’ wife’s GoFundMe raised over $250,000 following life life-threatening 2021 stroke

Australian actor Ben Lewis died from bowel cancer in Sydney on October 6, at the age of 46, Deadline reported. He was first diagnosed in February 2024. His death was announced by his close friend and Australian television presenter, Todd Woodbridge, via Instagram.

“Today we lost Ben Lewis, one of my family's dearest friends, way too young, and the Australian Musical Theatre family also lost one of the greats!” the post was captioned.

It was accompanied by a series of pictures of Lewis comprising his career highlights and moments with friends and family.

“Ben was a star on stage as Phantom in Love Never Dies and in Phantom of the Opera on the West End… more importantly, he was one of the great humans, funny, caring, and a wonderful mentor to all of the people he worked with…” Woodbridge added.

Todd also remembered Ben fondly and cited their memories of holidaying in Scotland together or spending time in the dressing rooms of Her Majesty’s Theatre in London and Wimbledon.

Ben Lewis is survived by his wife, Melle Stewart, 44, who is an Australian actress. She suffered a stroke in 2021 and claimed it was linked to her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19.

At the time, a GoFundMe was organized by their families and friends titled “Help Melle Stewart after a life-threatening stroke,” with a goal of $250,000. It raised over $256,683 AUD from 1.8K donations.

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All you need to know about Ben Lewis’ wife, Melle Stewart

Ben Lewis first crossed paths with Melle Stewart in the late 1990s when both were studying at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. By the early 2000s, they began dating and later exchanged wedding vows. Reportedly, their first public appearance as a couple happened much later in 2011.

Lewis and Stewart moved to London to pursue theater careers, away from their home in Brisbane. There, she acted in Home and Away and the onstage productions of Mamma Mia! And Kiss Me, Kate. Besides being an actress, Melle is also a singer and a dancer. She has six siblings.

In June 2021, Melle Stewart made headlines after she suffered a stroke. At the time, she attributed it to a side effect of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine she received in London two weeks before. Back then, the GoFundMe chronicled her experience.

“14 days after receiving her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Melle woke up at midnight to a strange feeling on the right-hand side of her body. She tried to get out of bed but quickly collapsed. Melle was rushed to the hospital, where her condition quickly deteriorated, losing all movement on the right-hand side of her body as well as her ability to speak.”

The description continued,

“She began having seizures and was taken by ambulance to St George’s Hospital, London, where neurosurgeons battled to save her life, removing a large part of her skull to reduce the pressure in her brain. After being admitted to the neurological ICU, Melle was formally diagnosed with Vaccine-Induced Thrombocytopenic Thrombosis (VITT).”

It was also revealed that Melle Stewart suffered two large clots in the main veins of her brain, as a result of the stroke, alongside a secondary bleed in her left frontal lobe. She spent 3 weeks in an induced coma under ventilation and received multiple blood transfusions, anti-clotting, and anti-seizure medications.

After four and a half weeks, Ben Lewis’ wife was released from the ICU and put in the Acute Stroke Unit to help with her recovery. In September 2021, she was transferred to a specialised rehabilitation hospital in London.

Thereafter, she spent over a year in rehab, learning how to talk, walk, and move her right side again. Her husband acted as the primary caregiver.

“Ben has been Melle’s sole physical support during this time. It has been incredibly difficult dealing with such a catastrophic life-changing event without being near family and close friends,” the fundraiser read.

It continued,

“Melle, a vibrant storyteller with an undying passion for language and expression, is now re-learning how to make sounds, form words, and speak again. Her road to recovery will be a long one, including further surgery to fit a titanium plate to replace the portion of her skull previously removed during surgery.”

The GoFundMe claimed that Ben Lewis and Melle Stewart were “fiercely independent and private.” Thus, it was launched on their behalf to help with the “myriads of medical and life expenses,” including loss of income, rehab therapy such as physical, occupational, psychological, speech, and language, relocation and travelling expenses, among others.

In May 2022, Melle posted an update on GoFundMe thanking everyone for their support, best wishes, and financial aid. She revealed she left the hospital in February and had been on a long road to recovery.

“Despite the issues I’ve had due to the AstraZeneca vaccine, I am proud to say that I have gone on to receive multiple doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and I remain a staunch advocate for vaccination. I am working hard every single day. My stroke will not define me, you can bet on it!” she wrote.

In November 2023, 9news.com.au reported that Melle Stewart was part of a class action suit against the AstraZeneca vaccine maker and was seeking compensation for her ailment. She and Ben Lewis were also part of a group fundraiser for their legal case on the Crowd Justice UK website. Back then, the couple also received $220,000 from the UK government as compensation.

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Now, in the wake of Ben Lewis’ demise, tributes have been pouring in from fans and industry insiders alike. Stage icon Andrew Lloyd Webber shared his “heartfelt condolences” online, as did actress Lucy Durack and theater producer Cameron Mackintosh.

Ben Lewis’ sister-in-law, Christina O’Neill, revealed in a social media post that Melle was by his side at the time of his demise. Earlier this year, Ben’s brother and stage performer, Alexander Lewis, revealed his “incurable” cancer diagnosis, first detected in February 2024.

He shared on a fundraiser that as the primary carer for his wife, Melle, after her stroke, she was his “greatest concern.” It had a goal of $180,000 to help her with her future expenses.

Ben Lewis is best remembered for The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies. He also worked on the UK tours of Love Me Tender and The Bodyguard, and the 2018 West End revival of Company.