77-year-old Leave It to Beaver actor, Tony Dow has now died, following Tuesday’s premature announcement made in error by management.
Tony Dow died of cancer late yesterday. The actor, director and beloved star from Leave It to Beaver was surrounded by family in his final hours. Christopher, Tony’s son, has shared the following message: “Although this is a very sad day, I have comfort and peace that he is in a better place. He was the best Dad anyone could ask for.”
He continues, “He was my coach, my mentor, my voice of reason, my best friend, my best man in my wedding, and my hero.” Christopher’s wife adds, “Tony was such a kind man. He had such a huge heart and I’ve never heard Tony say a bad or negative thing about anyone.”
The actor’s death closely follows Tuesday’s premature announcement, made by his management team, after Tony’s wife, Lauren Shulkind, notified them of his death by error. Lauren was reportedly “very distraught” over her husband’s condition, and momentarily believed he had been pronounced dead.
The now-deleted statement, which was posted by representatives to Tony’s official Facebook page, read: “Tony was a beautiful soul — kind, compassionate, funny and humble. It was truly a joy to just be around him. His gentle voice and unpretentious manner was immediately comforting and you could not help but love him. The world has lost an amazing human being, but we are all richer for the memories that he has left us.”
Tony Dow’s cancer diagnosis was first revealed in May of this year, though the type of cancer was never specified. His family released the following statement at the time:
“Dear friends and fans of Tony Dow, I have some very sad news to share with you. Unfortunately, Tony has once again been diagnosed with cancer. He is approaching this reality so bravely, but it is truly heartbreaking.”
