Actress Kirstie Alley, Star of ‘Cheers,’ Dead At 71 | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Ryan Saavedra.

    Actress Kirstie Alley, who starred in "Cheers," "Veronica's Closet," and "Drop Dead Gorgeous," has died. She was 71 years old.

    Alley's children released the news of her passing in a statement revealing that she lost her battle with cancer.

    "We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered," the statement said. "She 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."

    "As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother," the statement continued. "We are grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at the Moffitt Cancer Center for their care."

    "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," the statement concluded. "We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time."

    Born January 12, 1951, in Wichita, Kansas, Alley's career as an actress took off after she was cast in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."

    After other small roles, Alley struck it big by starring in the sitcom "Cheers," a show for which she earned a Golden Globe and Emmy award.

    She also had key roles in "Veronica's Closet," "Look Who's Talking," "It Takes Two," "Village of the Damned," and "Drop Dead Gorgeous."

    Some notable responses to her death online included:

   

• John Luke, featured auctioneer on A&E's hit show Storage Wars: "Thoughts & Prayers 🙏🙏🙏 To The Family, Friends & Fans Of @kirstiealley May She Rest In Peace 🙏 #GodBless 🙏🙏 Heaven Has Another Angel."
• Raymond Arroyo, Fox News: "Rest In Peace. Very sad."
• Danny Pellegrino, author: "She was so formative for '90s girls and gays."
• Josh Gad, actor: "My heart breaks for Kirstie and her family. Whether it was her brilliance in 'Cheers' or her magnetic performance in the 'Look Who's Talking' franchise, her smile was always infectious, her laugh was always contagious and her charisma was always iconic. RIP"
• Robert Patrick, actor: "So very sad. Kirstie Alley R.I.P. My condolences to her family."
• Travis Tritt, singer: "Shocked and saddened by the news of Kirstie Alley."