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How did Marnie Schulenburg die? Ailing 'As the World Turns' star, 37, was thinking of working again

'Please don’t say Marnie lost her battle to cancer. It’s simply not true...,' said Marnie Schulenburg's husband Zack Robidas

Soap opera actress Marnie Schulenburg died on Tuesday, May 17, aged 37. She reportedly died in a hospital in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Schulenburg is well known for her roles as Alison Stewart on CBS’ 'As the World Turns' and Jo Sullivan on the 'One Life to Live' reboot and most recently, the role of Maggie Caysen on the Showtime drama 'City on a Hill'.

Schulenburg reportedly died from stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. SheKnows Soaps reported that the actress was released from the hospital on Mother’s Day so she could spend time with her family. Schulenburg has left behind her two-year-old daughter, Coda, whom she shares with her husband Zack Robidas, an actor known for his roles in 'Sorry for Your Loss' and 'Succession'.

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“Please don’t say Marnie lost her battle to cancer. It’s simply not true. I watched her kick cancer’s a** everyday since diagnosis,” Zack Robidas said in a statement, according to Variety. “She is incredible. We chose to attack her diagnosis with blind optimism. We only talked about the future and continued moving forward. I don’t know if this was right but it’s all we knew how to do.”

Marnie Schulenburg life and career 

Born in Cape Cod, Schulenburg studied theater at DeSales University. She started performing at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and for the Dramatists Guild of America in New York City soon after college. Schulenburg also guest-starred or recurred on shows like 'Blue Bloods', 'Fringe', 'Royal Pains', 'Army Wives', 'Divorce' and 'The Good Fight'. 

Marnie Schulenburg cancer diagnosis

In an Instagram post weeks ago, Schulenburg wrote, "When I recall my misdiagnosis into correct diagnosis I still tense up but I’m no longer overcome with emotions by the memory of it. This year instead I focused on coming to terms with my new normal, my specific type cancer and how my journey will differ from others. I haven’t followed the path of chemo, surgery, radiation into the NED ( no evidence of disease) as I had hoped. Yet I’m almost 1.5 years into treatment with 6 scans, and each one looking better than the last. My tumor burden is small, my disease is continuing to shrink if not stay stable. I’m running, doing yoga, watching my baby grow, loving my husband, enjoying our amazing community and even opening myself up back to the possibility of having a career again."

She added, "I almost didn’t want to do the bald photos by @princesskylenyc reminded me that my truth is what is the most compelling and that even though I feel like so much has been striped away from me specifically as a woman there is still so much life there and stories to tell.."

Previously, Schulenburg opened up on Instagram about her stage four breast cancer diagnosis, which she received the day before her 36th birthday. Schulenburg talked about it in May 2020 that she had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, a cancer which physicians misdiagnosed as mastitis. The actress asked herself, “How does one celebrate a birthday after a Stage Four Breast Cancer Diagnosis in the middle of a global [health crisis] while raising a 5 month old?” What started off as a pain in her left breast while breastfeeding her daughter, Coda Jones, who was born in December 2019, led to a mastitis diagnosis (infection of the breast tissue), three rounds of different antibiotics, “two ultrasounds, two mammograms, and three biopsies before it was finally confirmed that I had breast cancer.” Stage four breast cancer is the “most insidious kind, Inflammatory Breast Cancer which doesn’t look like typical Breast Cancer, is more aggressive, affects younger women, and disguises itself as a breastfeeding infection," the star had shared on Instagram. 

Twitter mourned Marnie Schulenburg's death as soon as the news of her passing surfaced. "It was and is very sad to hear. RIP Marnie Schulenburg. Prayers to everyone who loved her. God Bless You All," one user wrote. "RIP Marnie Schulenburg!!! 37 is way too young!!! wrote another.

"Heartbreaking. Gone too soon. My prayers and heart go out to her husband Zack and daughter Coda and their entire family, friends, and loved ones and their health and happiness. RIP Marnie Schulenburg. May God Rest Her Soul and Bless You All," one user wrote, while another said, "5-18-2022, Marnie Schulenburg (the last Alison on ATWT) passed away. Husband & young daughter survive her. I think she was only 37. Aggressive breast cancer that attacks new mothers. So sad. RIP." "I’m so upset to hear the passing of #MarnieSchulenburg. I watched her on Y&R and ATWT when she had scenes with @TomPelphrey. I will always cherish a memory when I asked her for a pic and she knew who my sis was because she would always go to her job. She’s an Angel. RIP," one user commented.