Luke Perry’s friend and former co-star Shannen Doherty has posted an emotional tribute to him, following the news of his death.
The Hollywood actor sadly passed away on Monday at the age of 52, after suffering a massive stroke last week.
After the news of his death broke, Shannen told PEOPLE, “I am in shock. Heartbroken. Devastated by the loss of my friend. I have so many memories with Luke that make me smile and that are forever imprinted on my heart and mind.”
“Luke was a smart, quiet, humble and complex man with a heart of gold and never-ending well of integrity and love.”
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Luke and Shannen starred alongside each other in Beverly Hills, 90210 for years, but drifted apart when the show ended in 2000.
However, the former co-stars reconnected in 2015, after Shannen went public with her breast cancer diagnosis.
Shannen continued, “Luke reached out to me during my cancer journey and we picked right back up, albeit older and wiser, but that connection remained in tact.”
“There is a special kind of love one has for each other when you are experiencing the journey we did on 90210 and of course life in general. Luke and I were working on show ideas for us. We wanted to work with each other again and create something special and meaningful for our fans at this stage in our lives. I will miss him everyday. Every minute. Every second.”
Shannen also praised Luke’s love for his family, especially his two children – Jack, 21, and Sophie, 18 – who he shared with his ex-wife Rachel Sharp.
“Luke loved his family. He raved about his kids and how proud he was of them. He showed me videos of the often,” Shannen gushed. “They were his heart and for him, his biggest accomplishment.”
The actor suffered a massive stroke on February 27, and it’s believed he never regained consciousness.
On Monday, his rep said in a statement, “Actor Luke Perry, 52, passed away today after suffering a massive stroke. He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends.”
“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”
Instead of flowers, Luke’s family have asked that donations be made to Fight Colorectal Cancerthis and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
