On Sunday (Oct. 15), Suzanne Somers saw her 23-year battle with breast cancer come to an end. Her longtime publicist, R. Couri Hay, confirmed her death in a statement on behalf of her husband, Alan Hamel, and the rest of her family – who surrounded her when she ‘passed away peacefully at home.’
“Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly,” Hay wrote in the heartbreaking statement – adding that a private burial for family members will take place this week.
Somers – who was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 before it returned – is best known for her role as Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company and her role as Carol Foster Lambert on Step by Step – she also released a series of self-help books, two autobiographies, four diet books, and a book of poetry.
Not only did Hay confirm Somers’ death, but he also shared a touching and heartwarming poem that Alan Hmmel wrote for his wife’s birthday. She had an opportunity to read the poem on Saturday (October 14) before she went to bed – just hours before she died peacefully in her sleep. She knew she was loved.
Here’s a look at the poem, courtesy of PEOPLE magazine:
“LOVE I USE IT EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. I USE IT AT THE END OF EMAILS TO MY LOVING FAMILY. I EVEN USE IT IN EMAILS TO CLOSE FRIENDS. I USE IT WHEN I’M LEAVING THE HOUSE.
THERE’S LOVE, THEN LOVE YOU AND I LOVE YOU!! THEREIN LIES SOME OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE USE LOVE. SOMETIMES I FEEL OBLIGED TO USE LOVE, RESPONDING TO SOMEONE WHO SIGNED LOVE IN THEIR EMAIL, WHEN I’M UNCOMFORTABLE USING LOVE BUT I USE IT ANYWAY.
I ALSO USE LOVE TO DESCRIBE A GREAT MEAL. I USE IT TO EXPRESS HOW I FEEL ABOUT A SHOW ON NETFLIX. I OFTEN USE LOVE REFERRING TO MY HOME, MY CAT GLORIA, TO THINGS GLORIA DOES, TO THE TASTE OF A CANTALOUPE I GREW IN MY GARDEN. I LOVE THE TASTE OF A FRESHLY HARVESTED ORGANIC ROYAL JUMBO MEDJOOL DATE. I LOVE BITING A FIG OFF THE TREE. I LOVE WATCHING TWO GIANT BLACKBIRDS WHO LIVE NEARBY SWOOPING BY MY WINDOW IN A POWER DIVE. MY DAILY LIFE ENCOMPASSES THINGS AND PEOPLE I LOVE AND THINGS AND PEOPLE I AM INDIFFERENT TO.
I COULD GO ON AD INFINITUM, BUT YOU GET IT. WHAT BRAND OF LOVE DO I FEEL FOR MY WIFE SUZANNE? CAN I FIND IT IN ANY OF THE ABOVE? A RESOUNDING NO!!!! THERE IS NO VERSION OF THE WORD THAT IS APPLICABLE TO SUZANNE AND I EVEN USE THE WORD APPLICABLE ADVISEDLY.
THE CLOSEST VERSION IN WORDS ISN’T EVEN CLOSE. IT’S NOT EVEN A FRACTION OF A FRACTION OF A FRACTION. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE DOES NOT DO IT. I’LL TAKE A BULLET FOR YOU DOESN’T DO IT. I WEEP WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY FEELINGS FOR YOU. FEELINGS… THAT’S GETTING CLOSE, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY.
55 YEARS TOGETHER, 46 MARRIED AND NOT EVEN ONE HOUR APART FOR 42 OF THOSE YEARS,” he shared. “EVEN THAT DOESN’T DO IT. EVEN GOING TO BED AT 6 O’CLOCK AND HOLDING HANDS WHILE WE SLEEP DOESN’T DO IT. STARING AT YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE WHILE YOU SLEEP DOESN’T DO IT.
I’M BACK TO FEELINGS. THERE ARE NO WORDS. THERE ARE NO ACTIONS. NO PROMISES. NO DECLARATIONS. EVEN THE GREEN SHADED SCHOLARS OF THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS HAVE SPENT 150 YEARS AND STILL HAVE FAILED TO COME UP WITH THAT ONE WORD. SO I WILL CALL IT, ‘US’, UNIQUELY, MAGICALLY, INDESCRIBABLY WONDERFUL ‘US.’”
Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel met on the set of The Anniversary Game in 1969 after she divorced her first husband, Bruce Somers. She started dating Alan shortly after and the couple tied the knot in 1977. They were married and inseparable for 46 years up until her tragic death on October 15, 2023.
Alan Hamel and Suzanne Somers Had a Beautiful Blended Family
Alan Hamel and Suzanne Somers never had any children together, but they both had kids from previous relationships. Alan has two kids – a son, Stephen, and a daughter, Leslie – from his first marriage to Marilyn Hamel, while Suzanne has a son, Bruce Somers Jr., from her first marriage to Bruce Somers.
In August, Somers sat down for an interview with Entertainment Tonight and talked about how cancer had become ‘familiar battleground’ for her, but it was her family who helped her continue to fight with their continued love and support. “I do my best not to let this insidious disease control me,” she said to ET.
She has always credited her chemical-free life and healthy lifestyle habits for keeping her strong and alive for 23 years, all while her body was battling a vicious disease. She started that lifestyle in 2000 and she maintained it up until her death on Sunday – always knowing when to put her career on the back burner.
“Once it hit me in my 20’s, Alan and I got even closer and every moment of every day was precious. We have not spent even one day apart in over 42 years. That’s the big upside of cancer,” she said of her husband, Alan Hamel. “And my incredible family has been unbelievably supportive every step of the way.”