TMZ is reporting on some very tragic news today, as Dustin Diamond has passed away at the age of 44.
The Saved by the Bell star was battling stage 4 cancer and had only announced his diagnosis a few weeks ago. It was said that while the actor had a very serious fight ahead of him, he was hoping to spend more time with “his girlfriend, playing his bass guitar and video games, as well as making videos for his fans on social media.” However, it’s now been confirmed that his condition declined quite rapidly and he passed away this morning.
In a statement released earlier, here’s what his reps had to share:
“It managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”
Aside from the aforementioned hit series, Diamond was well known for his stand-up comedy, having toured quite a bit after his time on Saved by the Bell. He also made appearances on a number of game and reality shows and had supporting roles/cameos in a whole host of films later on his career.
Aside from all that, Diamond published the book Behind the Bell, which took folks behind the scenes of the show and “painted an unflattering portrait” of many of his colleagues and “their alleged, sordid backstage behavior.” However, he later claimed that Behind the Bell was written by a ghost writer based off comments he had made in an interview and some of the stories had been fabricated.
Though news of his death only just started spreading, Hollywood has been quick to react, with tons of celebrities, colleagues and more paying their respects over social media, showing just how beloved the actor was. Not to mention all the tributes from fans that have begun to flood the internet, too.
RIP Dustin Diamond. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.