Kirstie Alley (Tristar Pictures/Everett Collection)
Actress Kirstie Alley has died of cancer. She was 71.
True and Lily Parker, her children, announced her death on social media Monday. “Our mother’s zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did.”
Ms Alley died of recently discovered cancer, the statement said. The family didn’t offer details on her illness.
Alley was best known for her character on the TV show “Cheers”. Alley played Rebecca Howe on the NBC sitcom and starred in several TV shows and films throughout her career.
She received an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 for the her role on Cheers. From 1997 to 2000, she starred in the sitcom Veronica’s Closet, earning additional Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
The family’s statement goes on to say “[Alley] was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead,” they continued. “As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”
