One of the most prominent moguls in the health and wellness industry, Suzanne Marie Somers, died unexpectedly on Sunday, October 15, 2023, just one day before her 77th birthday, shocking those in the entertainment industry who were her close friends and the loyal fans who had followed the actress’s decades-long career.
When the news about her demise was confirmed and made public, many fans were left wondering what the cause could have been. Now, after two weeks since the actress passed away at the age of 76, the official cause of her death has finally been revealed!
According to a death certificate obtained by The Blast:
The report confirms that the actress died on October 15, 2023, at her home in Palm Springs, California, around 5:30 a.m. with her husband and son by her side after her breast cancer spread throughout her body.
The document mentioned “breast cancer with metastasis to the brain” as her immediate cause of death, with a biopsy confirming the discovery. Even though no autopsy was done, the certificate noted hypertension and hydrocephalus were other underlying factors that contributed to her passing.
The death certificate also indicated that Somers’ suffered from hydrocephalus for over a year. It is a condition where “excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up within the fluid-containing cavities or ventricles of the brain” and causes “harmful pressures on the tissues of the brain.” Somers’ death certificate indicated that the actress suffered from hydrocephalus for over a year.
Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, and hydrocephalus indicates a buildup of fluid in the brain.
Three days after Somers’ death, she was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City during a ceremony handled by a funeral home in Palm Springs, California. Close friends, colleagues, and family members were reported to be part of the ceremony.
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Earlier this month, Somers’ publicist R. Couri Hay confirmed her death to PEOPLE.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Hay wrote in a statement on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “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.”
Moreover, in an exclusive statement to ET, Somers came forward to confirm her cancer had returned and said her husband had supported her through this fight. “My cancer is a disease that affected my whole family and once it hit me in my 20s, 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 my cancer,” she said.
“My son refers to our relationship as functionally co-dependent. And my incredible family has been unbelievably supportive every step of the way.”
At last, the ‘Step by Step,’ actress publicist also shared with PEOPLE a poem that Alan Hamel wrote to his wife of 46 years, which he had given her to read a day before she “died peacefully in her sleep.”
Written in all caps, the poem reads as follows:
“LOVE. THERE IS NO VERSION OF THE WORD THAT IS APPLICABLE TO SUZANNE. 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,” Hamel continued. “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. 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,” the poem goes on. “I’M BACK TO FEELINGS.”
Hamel concluded: “THERE ARE NO WORDS. THERE ARE NO ACTIONS. NO PROMISES. NO DECLARATIONS. WE ARE ONE. I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU, MY BEAUTIFUL SUZANNE, FOR ALL OF ETERNITY.”
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