“When Calls the Heart” Hallmark star Melissa Gilbert recently paid tribute to her beloved on-screen father from “Little House on the Prairie.”
A post honoring November as Pancreatic Cancer Month included Gilbert’s thoughts. Michael Landon played Charles “Pa” Ingalls on the show, and Gilbert played his daughter, Laura Ingalls on the iconic series. Landon died of pancreatic cancer in July 1991, just three months after going public with his diagnosis.
Melissa Gilbert Treasured Her Relationship With Michael Landon
On November 11, the Instagram page for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network posted a heartwarming tribute to Landon. They shared quotes from both Gilbert and Dean Butler, who played her on-screen husband, Almanso Wilder.
Gilbert said, “Michael wasn’t just my co-star. He was my mentor, my friend and the closest thing to family I’ve ever had.”
She continued, “Watching him taken by pancreatic cancer so quickly was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced.”
“I carry his courage and love with me every day, and it drives me to fight for others affected by this disease,” Gilbert added.
Landon’s Death Left ‘A Hole That Can Never Be Filled,’ Said Dean Butler
Butler shared, “Michael had a way of making everyone around him feel seen and inspired.” He added, “Losing him to pancreatic cancer left a hole that can never be filled.”
The “Little House on the Prairie” alum noted that Landon’s “strength, warmth and spirit continue to remind us why we must shine a light on this disease and fight for a future where no one else has to lose their loved ones too soon.”
He also added a comment on the Instagram post. “Michael Landon left us 34 years ago, yet his spirit lives on in every Little House story of love, family, and community.”
In January, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network noted that the current five-year survival rate for that type of cancer is just 13 percent. For those diagnosed with the most common type, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the five-year survival rate is just 8 percent.
Pancreatic cancer is currently the third-leading cause of deaths related to cancer in the United States. More than 67,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2025. In addition, nearly 52,000 were expected to die from it this year.
The Instagram post that contained Gilbert and Butler’s quotes about Landon received a lot of love from fans.
“Well done for keeping Michael’s legacy alive and for keeping a spotlight on Pancreatic Cancer. I’m 42 now and watched the entire Little house on the prairie growing up…Thank you for all the years of enjoyment,” one fan commented.
Several fans commented with their own stories about loved ones who had pancreatic cancer. Others gushed over Gilbert and Butler, writing about how much they have always loved the show and its stars.
