Shannen Doherty’s doctor has shared details about her final moments.
Doherty, widely known for her roles as Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” Jenny Wilder on “Little House on the Prairie,” and Pru Halliwell on “Charmed,” passed away at age 53 on Saturday, July 13, after a battle with stage four breast cancer. She had first been diagnosed in 2015 and went into remission from 2017 to 2019 before the cancer returned.
Just a day before her death, Doherty settled her divorce with ex-husband Kurt Iswarienko, waiving spousal support and concluding their legal battle.
In an interview with People, her oncologist Dr. Lawrence D. Piro described her final moments as “sad” and “beautiful.” He explained that Doherty spent her last hours in a “place where she was very comfortable,” surrounded by close friends who provided care and support.
“The room was surrounded by a select group of friends that were giving her a lot of care and support. It was somber and sad, but beautiful and loving,” Dr. Piro shared. “The hardest thing about this was that she wasn’t ready to leave because she loved life,” he added.
Dr. Piro also discussed her relentless fight against cancer, noting they “kept going until we couldn’t go any more.” During their last conversation, Doherty recognized the gravity of her situation. “The conversation was about love and support and caring and still fighting through. She wanted to continue to take treatment and fight through, even though her physical condition had taken a bit of a downturn. And so we did,” he revealed.
Despite having limited treatment options, giving up was never an option for Doherty. “That wasn’t even open for discussion, because that’s not how Shannen lived. She was an incredible warrior in everything she did,” Dr. Piro emphasized.
In their final discussion, Doherty’s determination to continue fighting was clear. “The conversation was about love and support and caring and still fighting through. She wanted to continue to take treatment and fight through, even though her physical condition had taken a bit of a downturn. And so we did,” the doctor reiterated.
Doherty faced her battle with unwavering resolve. “That wasn’t even open for discussion, because that’s not how Shannen lived. She was an incredible warrior in everything she did,” Dr. Piro affirmed.