The tragic past of Bob Saget: 'Full House' actor dealt with shattering family loss
Legendary TV comedian Bob Saget was found dead at 65 in his room at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, January 9. Incidentally, it was also Saget's late sister Gay's 75th birth anniversary. Gay Saget, the former school teacher from Philadelphia, died years ago, following her scleroderma diagnosis.
While Bob lost Gay to autoimmune disease when she was 47, he lost his older sister Andrea due to a brain aneurism at the age of 35 in 1985. Bob was already involved with the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) before his sister was diagnosed with the disease. However, after she died, the 'Full House' actor made it one of his "life's missions" to raise money and research for the foundation. In an Instagram post shared by the SRF early on January 9, Bob wrote, "Today would have been my sister Gay's 75th birthday. She lost her life to scleroderma when she was 47. My heart goes out to all who have lost a loved one to this disease. No one should have to suffer as Gay did, which is why I'm committed to finding a cure and a proud board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation."
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Gay Saget's battle with scleroderma
Gay was forced to move back in with her parents before her death because she required so much care. According to the Mayo Clinic, scleroderma is "a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues." It is more prevalent in women than men and typically occurs between the ages of 30 and 50. There is no cure for the disease. While some people see effects in their skin, others find changes in blood vessels, internal organs, and the digestive tract, depending on the severity of the disease.
In a 2019 interview with the NIH Magazine, Bob said: "My sister, Gay Saget, was a school teacher near Philadelphia. She was 44 when she was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma. She got treatment, but it was just treating her symptoms with drugs like prednisone and cortisone. She had to move to Los Angeles to live with my parents because she needed so much help. She passed away just two years later."
Bob directed his grief into the 1996 TV movie 'For Hope,' a story of a woman with scleroderma (played by Dana Delany) which was inspired by Gay's battle with the disease. The piece helped raise awareness around the disease. To those living with scleroderma, the actor had a message of hope in his 2019 interview. "There are new drugs specifically for scleroderma that are helping people," he said. "But we have a long way to go to get to even more effective treatments and eventually a cure. I speak with and meet a lot of people with the condition. My word to them is don't give up hope, because we are making incredible progress."
Bob Saget's family devastated after his death
Saget's death has left his family devastated. He leaves behind three adult children of his own - Aubrey, 34, Lara, 32, and Jennifer, 29, and his wife, 42-year-old Kelly Rizzo. It's unclear if he was suffering any form of illness when he died. In a statement on Sunday, his family said they were 'devastated'.
"We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today. He was everything to us and we want you to know how much he loved his fan performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter. Though we ask for privacy at this time, we invite you to join us in remembering the love and laughter that Bob brought to the world," read the statement.