The Tragic Story of ‘Family Matters’ Star Michelle Thomas

For many TV fans, Michelle Thomas will always be remembered as sweet Myra Monkhouse, the girl who loved Steve Urkel on Family Matters. Others might also first recall her as Justine Phillips, Theo Huxtable’s girlfriend on The Cosby Show, or as Callie Rogers on The Young and the Restless, a role she played in the final year of her life. Despite her success, her life was tragically cut short at just 30 years old after being diagnosed with a very rare cancer.

Michelle Doris Thomas was born on September 23, 1968, in Brookline, Massachusetts, to parents in the entertainment industry. Her father, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, was a founding member of Kool & the Gang, and her mother, Phynjuar Thomas, was a stage actress who also became Michelle’s acting coach. At just 15, she was crowned Miss Talented Teen International in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which led her to try acting.