Tragedy of Shannen Doherty: Final moments and heartfelt tributes
Shannen Doherty passed away on 13 July 2024. Dr Lawrence D. Piro, oncologist and friend of the actress, described her final moments. Her ex-husband, Ashley Hamilton, also spoke out.
16 July 2024 18:04
"Charmed" and "Beverly Hills 90210" were productions in which Shannen Doherty, one of the most popular actresses of the 90s, starred. The actress, known for playing Brenda Walsh, died after a long battle with cancer.
Dr Lawrence D. Piro, the actress's oncologist and friend, was with her until the very end. In an interview with People, he recounted her final moments. "She was not ready to go because she loved life so much," he admitted.
He was with her until the very end. He recounted her final moments
In 2015, Shannen Doherty announced she had breast cancer with metastasis to one lymph node. Through social media, she shared the course of her illness and treatments. She was never afraid to tackle difficult topics.
By 2017, the cancer was in remission.
"What does remission mean? I heard this word and had no idea how to react. Good news? YES. Overwhelming. YES. Now we have to wait. The next five years are crucial. Recurrences happen all the time," she wrote.
Unfortunately, in 2019 the cancer returned. This time it attacked her brain and bones. During these difficult times, she could count on her friends, including Dr Lawrence D. Piro, her oncologist and friend. He was with her until the very end. He described her as an "extraordinary warrior" who never lost faith in beating the disease.
In January of this year, she started a new treatment that did not bring the expected results. Her condition began to deteriorate rapidly. The oncologist had a serious conversation with her to prepare her for the worst. He revealed that on the day of her death, she was surrounded by loved ones.
"In the last few hours, she was in a place where she felt very comfortable, asleep, surrounded by her close friends. (...) It was gloomy and sad, but at the same time, it was beautiful and loving. The hardest part was that she was not ready to go because she loved life," he revealed in an interview with "People."
Her ex-husband spoke out. He regrets one thing
Shannen Doherty was married twice. In 1993, she married American actor and comedian Ashley Hamilton. They divorced after just one year of marriage. Hamilton spoke out following the actress's death.
– Shannen was not just my wife; she was my guardian angel. Although things don’t always turn out as we expect, she stood by my side during some of my darkest moments. My love and admiration for her lasted far longer than our short-lived marriage – he admitted in an interview with TMZ, adding that he regretted not reaching out to her when she was battling cancer.