Shannen Doherty’s doctor reveals her ‘tragic’ final moments before death: ‘She wasn’t ready to go’
Shannen Doherty’s Doctor reveals the heartbreaking final moments of the beloved actress.
The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star died Saturday at age 53 after a long battle with cancer.
In an interview with People, oncologist Dr. Lawrence D. Pirro said the “Charmed” alum’s final moments were “sad” and “beautiful.”
“In the last few hours, he was in a place where he was very comfortable and sleeping and shifting, and he was surrounded by some of his very close friends,” Dr. Pirro told the outlet.
“The room was surrounded by a select group of friends who were giving him a lot of care and support. It was stark and sad, but beautiful and loving.”
“The hardest thing about it was that he wasn’t ready to leave because he loved life,” she added.
Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. She went into remission in 2017, but announced in February 2020 that she had stage 4 breast cancer.
On the June 24 episode of his “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, Doherty opened up about his decision to undergo another round of chemotherapy.
“I have to go back to chemo and it’s really hard,” she said at the time. “The thought of going through this again just devastated me.”
Speaking about the late actress’ fight against the illness, Dr. Pirro said they “kept going until we couldn’t go on anymore.”
“The last conversation we had, he was realizing that things had taken a pretty significant turn,” he told the outlet.
“The conversation was about love and support and caring and still fighting. Although his physical condition was a bit worse, he wanted to continue treatment and continue to fight. And so we did.”
And while the “Heathers” actress only had “limited options,” she wasn’t willing to throw in the towel.
“It wasn’t even open to discussion, because Shannon didn’t live like that. He was an incredible fighter in everything he did,” Dr. Pirro added.
Doherty’s death was confirmed on Sunday by his longtime publicist Leslie Sloane.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of actress Shannen Doherty,” Sloane said in a statement to the outlet.
“On Saturday, July 13, he lost his battle with cancer after battling the disease for many years,” Sloane continued. “The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family wants their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
After her death, the actress was remembered by fans and friends alike, including her “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-stars.