Valerie Harper, Star of ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ and ‘Rhoda’ Dies at 80

Actress, Valerie Harper, best known for her roles on the ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ and ‘Rhoda’ died Friday. She was 80. The news was confirmed by her daughter Cristina to ET. Harper was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2013, a few years after she beat lung cancer in 2009. Despite health challenges, Harper remained upbeat in an interview with ET in 2016.

You wake up and go, ‘Oh! I’m here, another day to live!'” Harper shared. “I’ve had a great long [life], and great stuff’s happened to me and my darling husband.”

Harper’s husband, Tony Cacciotti refused to place his wife of 30 years, in hospice despite the doctors request.

“I have been told by doctors to put Val in hospice care and I can’t [because of our 40 years of shared commitment to each other] and I won’t because of the amazing good deeds she has graced us with while she’s been here on earth,” Cacciotti wrote on Facebook. “We will continue going forward as long as the powers above allow us, I will do my very best in making Val as comfortable as possible.”

Cristina shared her father’s message to fans following the news of Harper’s passing in a tweet:

“My dad has asked me to pass on this message: ‘My beautiful caring wife of nearly 40 years has passed away at 10:06am, after years of fighting cancer. She will never, ever be forgotten. Rest In Peace, mia Valeria. -Anthony.'”