NCIS Hawaii returned for another epic episode, coming off the back of the three-way crossover special with NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles. When season two, episode 11, Rising Sun, came to an end, the CBS show paid tribute to Yakira Chambers by airing a title card in her memory. Here’s everything there is to know about NCIS Hawaii star Yakira Chambers.
Who is Yakira Chambers?
Yakira Chambers was NCIS Hawaii’s story editor who died suddenly on November 30, 2022 at just 42 years old.
According to Deadline, she died of acute asphyxia and was with her mum outside a mall in Newport Beach, California, when she began having difficulties breathing and collapsed.
In a statement, her family said: “Her sudden and untimely death has left us all grief-stricken.
“Yakira was a light, a symbol of hope to our community, a steward of our culture, and a representation of what pursuing your dreams looks like.”
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Chambers was promoted to story editor for the second season of NCIS Hawaii after she originally joined as a staff writer for season one.
She earned her position on the show after she was selected as a mentee in the ViacomCBS Writers Mentoring Program in 2020-2021.
As well as working on NCIS Hawaii, she was developing a few of her own projects.
One of which was a TV pilot she write on gang-leader-turned-author Larry Hoover and another show about “her own experiences growing up on the Southside [of Chicago] and attending a majority-white high school.”
When the news broke that Chambers had passed away at the end of last year, floods of tributes came in.
One of which was from NCIS Hawaii star Vanessa Lachey who took to Instagram to share her condolences.
She wrote: “It’s been a difficult week for our NCIS Hawai’i Ohana as we mourn the sudden loss of one of our talented writers, Yakira Chambers.
“All of the stories you see us bring to life on screen, started in the writing room and Yakira specifically wrote some of my favorite moments.
“She always wrote my character, Jane Tennant, as a strong bada– woman and mother. It was important to her… and us.”
Lachey continued: “Her voice was powerful, and it will be missed greatly.
“My heart goes out to her family and loved ones who are currently figuring out life as this has left them in an unexpected precarious position.
“I am still at a loss and have hugged my babies even tighter than usual.
“Yakira, I will miss you, we will miss you… Rest In Love My Beautiful Angel.”
NCIS Hawaii season 2 continues every Monday on CBS in the USA. A UK release date hasn’t been announced.