Shannen Doherty has been left “heartbroken” and “devastated” by the death of her longtime friend Luke Perry.
The actress took her time in paying tribute to her former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star, who passed away on Monday morning (March 4, 2019) after suffering a stroke last week.
Late on Monday evening she shared a statement with People magazine, telling the publication, “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,” she continued, revealing the former TV show lovers reconnected when Shannen was diagnosed with cancer in 2015.
“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,” Shannen added.
“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.
“Luke loved his family. He raved about his kids and how proud he was of them. He showed me videos of them often. They were his heart and for him, his biggest accomplishment.”
The actress also recalled the last time she saw Luke: “A couple of weeks ago in February, Luke and I met up for lunch… He chose the restaurant based on who would allow his dog. I walked in and there he was, smiling, with his dog Penny and her bed under the booth, happy as can be.
“I will never forget – and will miss – Luke looking at me with that smile of his saying… ‘Shan’.”
Tori Spelling, who starred alongside Luke and Shannen in Beverly Hills, 90210, was pictured looking tearful after news broke of her former co-star’s death on Monday, and later released a statement in which she said she was “heartbroken” by his passing.
“I’m in utter shock and heartbroken,” she told People. “Luke was one of the kindest and most humble human beings I’ve ever known. I’m grateful for the years of friendship we had. He truly was family to me, a protector and a brother. I’m so sorry for the loss that everyone is experiencing.”