I am sure by now everyone has heard about the tragic death of a great icon. No, I am not talking about Michael Jackson, though that news is incredibly sad, but about the death of Farrah Fawcett at the age of 62. The former Charlie's Angels star passed away Thursday morning at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, nearly three years after being diagnosed with anal cancer.
She was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and was said to be cancer-free in February 2007, but a few months later her doctors learned that the cancer had returned. Fawcett had an alternative and controversial approach to her cancer treatment. She received traditional treatments in California, but was “disheartened” by the reoccurrence of the cancer and by the treatment she was receiving in the United States.
Fawcett decided to travel to Germany’s University Clinic in Frankfurt to find an alternative course of treatment. There are some reports that she received experimental stem cell treatment while in Germany, but it has never been confirmed.
Never-the-less, the loss of this great 70s icon is very tragic. By her bed-side, in her last moments, was her longtime companion, Ryan O’Neil.
"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."
"She's gone. She now belongs to the ages," O'Neal tells PEOPLE, also confirming that she received the last rites of the Catholic Church. "She's now with her mother and sister and her God. I loved her with all my heart. I will miss her so very, very much. She was in and out of consciousness. I talked to her all through the night. I told her how very much I loved her. She's in a better place now."
Friends and family plan to honor Fawcett with a funeral service at a Catholic cathedral in Los Angeles in the next few days.
