“Three’s Company” star Suzanne Somers died early Sunday morning after a lengthy cancer battle. The actress was 76 years old — just one day short of what would have been her 77th birthday.
Somers’ publicist R. Couri Hay confirmed the news in a statement to entertainment site Page Six on Sunday.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” the statement read. “Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan [Hamel], her son, Bruce, and her immediate family.”
The actress and her family had plans to celebrate her 77th birthday on Monday, but “instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly. A private family burial will take place this week, with a memorial to follow next month.”
The news of her passing comes just three months after Somers and her family announced that her breast cancer had returned.
“I have been living with cancer since my 20’s. And every time that little f***** pops up, I continue to bat it back. I do my best not to let this insidious disease control me,” Somers said at the time. “It’s a recurrence of my breast cancer. Like any cancer patient, when you get that’s dreaded, ‘It’s back’ you get a pit in your stomach. Then I put on my battle gear and go to war. This is familiar battleground for me and I’m very tough.”
Comedian Adam Carolla was among the celebrities who paid tribute to the television icon, saying in a post on X, “Devastated to hear about the passing of Suzanne Somers. A true icon and overall amazing human being. You will be greatly missed, my friend.”
Devastated to hear about the passing of Suzanne Somers. A true icon and overall amazing human being. You will be greatly missed, my friend. pic.twitter.com/Hls9eMQObt
— Adam Carolla (@adamcarolla) October 15, 2023
Actress Fran Drescher shared a photo of herself with Somers in years past, adding, “The heaviness of this past week’s horrors just got worse with the loss of friend Suzanne Somers … Life is very hard, wherever we can bring joy, love, empathy and kindness as we move thru each day, do it! RIP dear Suzanne, you will long be remembered.”
