Suzanne Somers on screen husband Patrick Duffy mourns death of his

Suzanne Somers’ on-screen husband Patrick Duffy mourns death of his Step by Step co-star: “My dear and deeper .”

Suzanne Somers’ husband Patrick Duffy is mourning his late co-star.

The 74-year-old actor made a sweet statement remembering his “dear and dear friend” who died Sunday morning at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer.

In a statement he shared with People on Monday, the Dallas star reflected on their longtime friendship, recalling that he had originally planned to visit her just days earlier to celebrate her 77th birthday .Birthday help.

With the long and touching message, he also paid tribute to the Three’s Company actress and the impact she had not only on his life, but on the world.

The two played opposite husband and wife on the hit ABC sitcom “Step by Step” from 1991 to 1998.

Mourning: Suzanne Somers’ on-screen husband Patrick Duffy mourns his late co-star, who died on Sunday morning at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer. A few co-stars: The two played opposite husband and wife on the hit ABC sitcom “Step by Step” from 1991 to 1998; seen in 1997

“Like everyone who knew her, I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed away,” his statement began.

“For that brief moment, it was unbelievable,” he continued of the shocking and tragic news. “But she actually passed.”

The Bold and the Beautiful star then went on to talk about the impact she had on his life and how much he will miss his longtime friend.

“She has walked wonderfully through my life on this stage of her endless journey,” he said.

“My job now is to stay on the side of the road while she drives on,” he added, before listing some of the things he will miss sharing with her – “the phone calls, the emails, the Visits and food and laughter”.

He said the value of their friendship and their memory would live on. “But the dialogue between deep and thoughtful, silly and frivolous continues,” he said.

“My conversations with her are now conducted solely through my daily Buddhist practice,” the director added.

He then remembered how he was supposed to meet with Somers and her husband Alan Hamel before her tragic death.

Close friends: In a statement shared with People on Monday, the Dallas star reflected on their long-standing friendship, recalling that he had originally planned to visit her just days earlier to be with her to help celebrate her 77th birthday; seen in 2009 In memory of his friend: The Bold and the Beautiful star also wrote about the impact she had on his life and how much he will miss his longtime friend; to be seen in 2009. On-screen couple: In the series, Duffy played divorced contractor Frank Lambert and played widowed beautician Carol Foster opposite Somers. In the end, the two got married and portrayed a couple on screen. Seen in 1991 Longtime Co-Stars and Friends: Since Step by Step, Somers and Duffy had remained close friends over the years; seen in 1991

“I’m not the only one who wishes I could have another face-to-face conversation with her and [her husband] “Alan, but if we had had this meeting last Friday, I would still be longing for another meeting today,” he said. “It is the painful beauty of our current human reality.”

“I send as much strength and support as I can muster to Alan and.” [her son] “Bruce and her family,” he continued. “And to her I say; When the stone of your life fell into that pond, you made quite a splash, my friend. Thank you very much.’

According to a statement from Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay, she passed away “peacefully in her sleep” surrounded by her husband, son and their immediate family.

For the past 23 years, she had battled various aggressive forms of cancer until her tragic death.