Suzanne Somers‘ husband Alan Hamel, 87, opened up about his final moments with the late actress in a heartbreaking segment on the Today Show on October 17th, just two days after her passing.
The late Three’s Company alum passed away after a long battle with breast cancer just one day before her 77th birthday, and her husband of 46-years said it was “very peaceful” and “beautiful.” Somers is survived by her husband, her three children Leslie, Stephen, and Bruce, and six grandchildren.
Somers’ publicist R. Couri Hay shared the following statement with People on Sunday, October 15th: “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family.”
Suzanne Somers' Husband Reflects On Her Final Moments
The Canadian entertainer and film producer opened up to Today anchors Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, and said, "I wouldn’t say I was surprised," in reference to his wife's passing. "She was heavy breathing at the very end and I gave her a pill to relax the breathing, but it didn't work." He went on to say: "And I was grateful that I was with her when she left us. And it was very peaceful and it was beautiful. And she was beautiful."
"And we had the whole family come and they've been here ever since," Hamel continued, adding, "And we've been very upbeat about what's going on. There hasn't been a grim moment. Every time I feel it coming on, I leave the room so I can be alone. But that's life, I don't know what else to do."
The Alan Hamel Show host also said that he and other loved ones had a feeling that she could be leaving them soon, and revealed that they had "conversations" about what would happen when the time comes. "She was doing OK. Not great, but she was doing OK. And we had conversations," he confessed, adding, "We faced reality like who knows what's going to happen down the road."
Hamel also said that the two of them thought that he would be the one to go first, due to his age, but he didn’t like the idea of her being "alone." He said: "My life is going to change. I don't care one way or another, and we had talked about this day coming, and we thought it was going to be me because I'm 10 years older. If that happened she would be alone, which was a terrible conundrum, the idea of her being alone."
Alan Hamel Gushes About The Late Actress
Hamel also didn’t hesitate to compliment his late wife, and praised her not only as an actress but also as a wife and mother. "She was an amazing, amazing woman. Aside from all her accomplishments, she was an amazing wife and an amazing mother, as well," he gushed. "She's the one who pulled our family together. I didn't do it. She did it. She really knew what she was doing. So I will miss her."
He also opened up to People about the strength of their marriage, saying: "The past 42 years, we have not spent even one hour apart. And one of our sons refers to our relationship as 'functionally codependent,' which it probably is." He also said how "grateful" he is that they met, adding: "I mean, I'm a big city guy from Toronto, and she's a small-town girl from Northern California. What are the odds of these two people meeting? But we've met, and for that, I'm grateful."
