Kirstie Alley's cause of death FINALLY revealed, 'Cheers' star died because of colon cancer
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The news of Kirstie Alley’s death sent shockwaves through the entire entertainment industry and a lot of her co-stars couldn’t believe that the ‘Cheers’ star has passed away. Alley’s children, True and Lillie Parker, announced on social media that their ‘fierce’ mother died at the age of 71 following a long-time battle with cancer and now, it has been revealed what kind of cancer she was suffering from.
In a statement released to People, a representative for the star noted that the actress had “colon cancer” prior to her death on Monday. For the uninitiated, Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the large intestine (colon). According to Mayo Clinic, the colon is the final part of the digestive tract. Some common symptoms include changes in bowel habits, changes in stool consistency, blood in the stool, and abdominal discomfort.
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The statement released by Alley’s children earlier in the day also noted that their mother was receiving treatment for cancer at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, prior to her untimely death. The statement read, “She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”
Alley began her film career with 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,' which she soon followed with 'Blind Date' and the 1985 series 'North and South'. Later, she joined the NBC series 'Cheers' and became part of TV's blockbuster comedy. In 1991, she won the Outstanding Lead Actress at the Primetime Emmy for her role in the series.
Alley joins the long list of actors who died because of colon cancer. The most recent celebrity to lose their life due to the life-threatening disease was ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman. The actor was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, which eventually progressed to stage IV before 2020. On August 28, 2020, it was announced that the ’21 Bridges’ star died at the age of 43, with his wife and family by his side.
Meanwhile, other notable celebrities to die because of colon cancer include the likes of Audrey Hepburn (1993), Elizabeth Montgomery (1995), and Eartha Kitt (2008).
