(Photo Credits: Gage Skidmore [CC BY-SA 3.0])
American actor Luke Perryhas passed away at a Los Angeles hospital this Monday—March 4, 2019—after suffering from a massive stroke at his home in Sherman Oaks, California last February 27. He was 52.
His publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed Perry’s passing, adding on a statement, “He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancée Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends. The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”
Perry is best known for his role on the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 as Dylan McKay and he also reportedly guest-starred as a gay character on sitcoms such as Spin City (1997) and Will & Grace (2005). According to Reuters, Perry quickly reached a heartthrob status because of his role on Beverly Hills, 90210 and he was, at the time, receiving 4,000 fan mails a week. He was being mobbed by fans at personal appearances and one such instance had even resulted to “20 people getting injured rushing a stage.” Security concerns had made him eventually give up personal appearances not to mention that he “did not like being considered a ‘teen idol.'”
Perry was friends with the late actress Alexis Arquette for over 30 years up until her passing in September 2016 due to complications related to HIV/AIDS. Watch Perry express his love for Alexis last year in an interview shown below where the actor praised her as well for her advocacy work on transgender equality.
Before his stroke, Perry was raising awareness on colorectal cancer and urging people to get colonoscopy following a cancer scare in 2015.
At the time of his passing, Luke Perry was playing the role of Fred Andrews, Archie’s dad, on the popular CW TV series Riverdale.
I am sorry to see him pass… .
I have seen so many pass…considerably younger than he. To have been, 52, and felled by a massive stroke…only verifies what we should already know:
When our time comes, we will go…regardless of…”rage, rage, against the dying of the light.”
I’ve seen hundreds die in their 20s and 30s, during the pandemic. They’re still dying. I made a vow to keep myself clean in 1980, and I did. I get to see them all pass. It’s lonely for me now…but I got to see how it all turned out. Still, I oft wonder if carrying all the sadness all these years is worth it.
gone to soon.
As the initial wave of news feeds hit people’s phones in the office about his passing today, a co-worker was heard to say “think of the countless bottles of wine that are about to die at the hands of distraught middle-aged women.”
So sad. Passed way too soon. Wish the best for his family especially his kids.