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Anne Rice dead at 80: Son reveals final moments of 'The Vampire Chronicles' author

'Anne is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions,' her son wrote

Author of gothic fiction and erotic literature, Anne Rice, died at the age of 80 on Saturday, December 11 and the news of her death was shared by her son, Christopher, on Facebook and Twitter. "This is Anne’s son Christopher and it breaks my heart to bring you this sad news. Earlier tonight, Anne passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke. She left us almost nineteen years to the day my father, her husband Stan, died. The immensity of our family’s grief cannot be overstated.

"As my mother, her support for me was unconditional — she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions," the son of the 'Interview With The Vampire' author wrote in a Facebook post, on Anne's page, that had over 18,000 reactions. He reposted the same message on Twitter. Some of the other authors who died this year include Lauren Berlant and Janet Malcolm. Anne was best known for her series of novels 'The Vampire Chronicles'. Books from the series were the subject of two film adaptations— 'Interview with the Vampire' (1994) and 'Queen of the Damned' (2002). Her books have sold over 150 million copies, making her one of the most popular and best-selling authors ever. She was married to poet and painter Stan Rice for 41 years, from 1961 until his death from brain cancer in 2002 at age 60.

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Final moments of Anne Rice's life

Christopher revealed that he was right beside his mother when she breathed her last. "In her final hours, I sat beside her hospital bed in awe of her accomplishments and her courage, awash in memories of a life that took us from the fog laced hills of the San Francisco Bay Area to the magical streets of New Orleans to the twinkling vistas of Southern California. As she kissed Anne goodbye, her younger sister Karen said, 'What a ride you took us on, kid.' I think we can all agree. Let us take comfort in the shared hope that Anne is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions, the quest for which defined her life and career," he said.

He added that his mother "will be interred in our family's mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans in a private ceremony." Her life will also be celebrated in an event Next year in New Orleans, which will be "open to the public and will invite the participation of her friends, readers, and fans who brought her such joy and inspiration throughout her life."

#RIPDearQueen

Christopher's post went viral on Twitter and several of Anne's fans began mourning her loss. "Her beautiful mind brought a gothic beauty to everyday life. In her tales, vampires became lovable protagonists. She showed light in the darkest corners of our own imaginations. Anne was one of the greatest storytellers the world has ever known. #RIPDearQueen," one of her fans wrote. Another commented, "So many blessings to you, and will offer many prayers for an easy crossing. Loved you so very much and you meant so much to me. Your stories were such a great inspiration for me, and gave me the freedom to explore more than I ever would have. Love you forever, great lady."

A third wrote, "Heartbroken & shocked. Anne's writing opened me up to a world of fearless possibility in storytelling. I'd credit much of my vocabulary building as a teen on her prose! Her books were available in Pakistan when many others weren't. It's been a pleasure and a privilege." One more noted, "I am so sorry for your loss. She was a phenomenal human. Please take care of yourself and your family." A commenter tweeted, "Dear God... Interview with the Vampire is one of the greatest vampire stories of all time, up there with DRACULA. A legendary storyteller, gone too soon." A person reacted with, "I'm so sorry for your loss. #AnnRice will live on forever in her works of literary art. She's will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. RIPower @AnneRiceAuthor!"