Kirstie Alley has died following a ‘battle with cancer,’ according to her family.
We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,’ a tweet stated.
Alley’s children – Lillie and William True Stevenson shared the news in a statement posted to their late mother’s social media pages on Monday evening.
They revealed how their mother had only ‘recently discovered’ she had cancer, and that 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.
They continued: ‘As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.
‘We are grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at the Moffitt Cancer Center for their care.’
Alley did not appear to be ill in her last video, as she appeared with her signature mane of thick blonde hair.
In April of this year she had performed on the television show The Masked Singer.
Alley’s relatives said that ‘the zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did.
They ended the statement in saying, ‘We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.’
Alley played bar manager Rebecca Howe in Cheers; she also starred alongside John Travolta in Look Who’s Talking among other roles.
In recent years she had been shunned by Hollywood after she endorsed Donald Trump in 2015 – the last year she was seen on screen in a movie.
