Suzanne Somers passed away aged 76 just a day before she was set to celebrate her 77th birthday.
The actress, known for roles on Step by Step and Three’s Company, had been diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time earlier this year.
In a statement shared with People, her longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote: “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” adding: “Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family.”
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The statement continued: “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers is survived by her husband Alan Hamel, who she married in 1977, her three children Leslie, Stephen, and Bruce, and six grandchildren, including Camelia and Violet Somers.
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The late star had just opened up to People about her and her family’s plans to celebrate her birthday on Monday, saying she heard her daughter-in-law Caroline was “making her famous short rib tacos,” adding: “I have asked for copious amounts of cake… I really love cake.”
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The late actress at her California home in 1979
Her husband Alan also opened up to the outlet about his wife’s battle with cancer, saying: “Suzanne and I just returned home from the Midwest where Suzanne had six weeks of intensive physical therapy.”
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He added: “Even after our five decades together, I still marvel at Suzanne’s amazing determination and commitment.”
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Somers and her husband were married for almost 50 years
Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time back in 2000, and in July, she shared on Instagram that she was grappling with a second diagnosis.
She wrote: “As you know, I had breast cancer two decades ago, and every now and then it pops up again, and I continue to bat it down,” adding: “I have used the best alternative and conventional treatments to combat it. This is not new territory for me. I know how to put on my battle gear and I’m a fighter.”
She continued: “Alan has been by my side every step of the way. I can’t even explain how much he has done for me. If it’s even possible, we are even closer than ever.”
Born Suzanne Marie Mahoney on October 16, 1946 in San Bruno, California, Somers began acting in the late 1960s, and throughout the 1970s had roles on movies and television series like American Graffiti, Lotsa Luck, One Day at a Time, and most notably, as ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company, a role she held for four seasons.
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