‘Somber, sad, beautiful, loving’: Shannen Doherty’s doctor on her final hours

Shannen Doherty’s final hours were marked by love and support, as described by her doctor and close friend, Dr. Lawrence D. Piro.

The 53-year-old actress, known for her roles in Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210 among countless others, passed away on Saturday after a long battle with breast cancer.

In an interview with People Magazine, Piro shared that Doherty spent her last moments "surrounded by some of her very close friends.”

He added, “She was in a place where she was very comfortable and sleeping and transitioning.” The “select group” of loved ones provided Doherty with immense care and support during her final hours.

Piro described the atmosphere as "somber and sad, but beautiful and loving." He emphasised that the most challenging part was that Doherty wasn’t ready to leave “because she loved life.”

Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and she announced her remission in 2017. However, the cancer returned in 2019. Piro noted that her condition took a turn for the worse in the weeks leading up to her death.

He detailed, “Things turned much more difficult. We continued to fight while putting in more support and we just kept loving and hoping and supporting.”

Despite her declining health, Doherty remained a fighter.

Piro highlighted her relentless spirit, stating that giving up “wasn’t even open for discussion, because that’s not how Shannen lived. She fought so hard. And she didn’t believe that it would ever be over, which kind of makes everybody around you believe that, too, because you want to believe that.”