Shannen Doherty, known for her roles on the wildly popular series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and on the witchcraft fantasy “Charmed,” has died after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She was 53.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress, Shannen Doherty,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane said in a statement. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
Doherty rose to fame in 1990 as the fresh-faced brunette Brenda Walsh on Fox’s “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Along with her twin brother Brandon, played by Jason Priestly, the Walshes were the classic fish-out-of-water family that had recently moved from Minnesota to Beverly Hills and were constantly amazed at the antics of the L.A. rich kids.
The romance between Brenda and Dylan, played by Luke Perry, spawned controversy in the first season for the storyline where Brenda considers losing her virginity. Their later breakup, when Dylan hooked up with her best friend Kelly, played by Jennie Garth, was also big news, and the show was considered groundbreaking in its willingness to address topics like drug abuse and racism.
The show was a massive hit, and with its success came an inordinate amount of scrutiny and gossip surrounding the cast, including teen-aged Doherty. Though the show had started out with Garth’s Kelly as the less likable character, the perception soon changed and Brenda become the cast member everyone loved to hate on. She was labeled a diva in the press and there was even a pre-internet newsletter called “I Hate Brenda.” Doherty appeared in 111 episodes before leaving the series at the end of season four, amid reports of friction with other cast members, particularly Garth.
By the time the show was rebooted two more times, everyone had mellowed with age and Doherty returned as Brenda in the 2008 revival “90210” for one season and in the later revival 2019 “BH90210.”
After her stormy departure from “Beverly Hills, 90210,” Doherty found her footing on “Charmed,” the supernatural drama following three sisters who discover they are witches and must work together to fight evil. She played the oldest of the three sisters, Prue Halliwell, alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. In 2000 and 2001, she directed three episodes of the series — “Be Careful What You Witch For,” “The Good, The Bad, and The Cursed,” and “All Hell Breaks Loose,” the last episode she appeared in. Her character was killed off when she left the series at the end of the third season.
Born in Memphis, Tenn., Doherty moved to Los Angeles with her family as a child and got her start at age 10 with a role on the series “Father Murphy.” Michael Landon saw her in the series and cast her as Jenny Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie” at age 11.
Doherty then had a recurring role on the family series “Our House” with Wilfred Brimley,
In feature films, she appeared in another teen classic, “Heathers,” as well as in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Kevin Smith’s “Mallrats” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”
Among the other shows she appeared on were “North Shore,” and “Riverdale” as well as in a number of TV movies.
In 2006, she produced a reality show, “Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty,” where she helped people in relationship peril who wanted to get out but couldn’t do it on their own, and later appeared in another reality show, “Off the Map With Shannen and Holly.”
Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2015, and in 2017 said she was in remission. But by 2019 the cancer had returned and spread. She continued working, with roles in TV movies including “Dying to Belong” and “List of a Lifetime.” Doherty also hosted a popular podcast, “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty,” in which she discussed her career and talked frankly about how breast cancer had impacted her life.
In June 2023, she said she had been receiving radiation for cancer that had spread to her brain.
She was briefly married to George Hamilton’s son Ashley Hamilton and poker player Rick Salomon, and in 2011 she married photographer Kurt Iswarienko. They filed for divorce in 2023.
Mom sees kids with little “fur ball” at the park – looks closer and immediately realizes grave danger
Over thousands of years, humans have developed reflexes and learned to avoid certain animals and other creatures.
Even while most animals pose little threat to people, it is nevertheless advisable to exercise caution when you are outside.
She had been out with the kids on a normal day until she noticed a strange fuzzy ball-shaped creature.Mother Leslie Howe did that while she and her family were in a local park.
Leslie, a Georgian mother, saw an odd object near her children at the local playground in 2014. Before Leslie noticed an odd, hairy, ball-shaped monster, the day out with the kids had been normal.
The mother followed her instincts. In the end, it would turn out to be a smart decision. “It feels worse than a wasp sting.”
Leslie was in the park in Gwinnett County, Georgia, with her infant and two other young children when she noticed the “fur ball.” Despite its small size and first harmless aspect, she felt compelled to stay away from it.
This tale was first published a few years ago, but it is now making a comeback online to warn all American parents about the danger.
Leslie had hoped that by sharing her story, people would be warned not to approach the suspicious fur ball, which turned out to be a Megalopyge Opercularis larva, sometimes referred to as the puss caterpillar.
Perhaps the name alludes to the caterpillar’s velvety fur’s resemblance to a cat’s. Despite injecting venom, the bug’s exterior gives the impression that it is harmless. The venomous bristles underneath are covered in hair.
These larvae, which may grow up to about 1 inch in length, are found throughout most of the United States. According to NPR, they were “feasting on foliage in states as far west as Texas and between New Jersey and Florida.”
Avoid handling the puss caterpillar at all costs since its sting is excruciating. If you do that, they may adhere to you and inject their poison.
It is more painful than a wasp sting. When the organism sticks, the agony starts right away and gets worse. It can even cause bone pain. Where it becomes trapped and how many tags have penetrated your skin will determine how badly it gets stuck. According to Expressen, ethnologist Don Hall told National Geographic that those who had it trapped on their hands had complained of discomfort that went up to their shoulders and lasted for up to twelve hours.
Eric Day, manager of Virginia Tech’s Insect ID Lab, has undoubtedly been harmed by the puss caterpillar’s sting. While mowing the lawn at his rural Virginia home, he was bitten by the peculiar-locking caterpillar.
“That blister and the irritated area that followed were visible for several weeks,” he recounted, “but the burning sensation went away in about a day.”
If this caterpillar stings you, remove the dangerous hairs with tape and then carefully wash the area with soap and water. The National Capital Poison Center suggests applying hydrocortisone cream or baking powder to the stung site if it begins to itch. If it worsens, get medical attention.
Although puss caterpillars seldom cause death, their stings can result in anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
Check out this strange and enigmatic caterpillar:
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