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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Riverside chapter.

Following his stroke on Wednesday February 27th, E! News confirmed that beloved star Luke Perry died March 4th at the age of 52. After having a second stroke, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support. Surrounded by his two children, fiancée, ex-wife and other loved ones, Perry left this world with a legacy beyond acting.  

 

Known for his breakout role as Dylan Mckay on Beverly Hills 90210, the star was definitely a 90’s teen heartthrob for so many. His James Dean aesthetic had girls from all over falling for him, and his career skyrocketed. He also starred in the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, playing the very cute Oliver Pike. Perry’s fame continued through the years, and is now also well known for his role as Fred Andrews on the CW’s Riverdale.

(Photo by Getty Images on FoxNews)

 

Thousands around the nation, and world, found themselves heartbroken after hearing about Perry’s death. Devastated by this tragedy, many of his former co-stars and friends went to social media to pay their tributes to the adored actor. From posts on Instagram to Twitter, many shared their condolences after learning of his death. They addressed his passing with heartfelt messages on the kind of person Perry was to them. He was more than just an actor, he was a father, son, and a friend. He was known for his kindness that spread amongst all of those around him. As stated by Vulture, Luke Perry showed that “it’s cool to be kind.” He brought genuine warmth and a heart of gold into the characters he played, including the fierce and tender badboy Dylan Mckay.

 

(Photo by Shannen Doherty on Instagram)

 

His co-star on Beverly Hills 90210, Shannen Doherty, went to instagram multiple times during the wake of his death. When news broke about his stroke, Doherty posted a photo of them as their characters Dylan and Brenda. She captioned the photo with, “My friend. Holding you tight and giving you my strength. You got this.” Tragically, just a few days later, Perry died at the hospital following his massive stroke. Once again expressing her loss, she captioned another photo of them together with the following: “Yesterday morning I got a phone call that devastated me. I’m struggling with this loss and am having a hard time with my thoughts. But, my heart goes out to his family and friends who were blessed by his light in their (and mine) lives. Processing this is impossible right now.”

 

(Photo by Ian Ziering on Instagram)

 

Another Beverly Hills 90210 co-star took to instagram to send prayers, and later mourn, the loved star. Ian Ziering shared multiple posts from the time Perry was hospitalized to his death. On the first post following his death, Ziering wrote: “Dearest Luke, I will forever bask in the loving memories we’ve shared over the last thirty years. May your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here for those you leave behind. God please give him a seat close to to you, he deserves it.”

 

Other stars like Colin Hanks and Molly Ringwald, also shared their loss of Perry with kind words and stories about the person he was to them. Through these tributes, it’s clear that Luke Perry was more than just an actor for all of those around him. He was a kind soul with much to offer the world. He stood firm with his beliefs, and lead a life many admired. Gone way too soon, but will forever be missed.

Fox is also set to air a reboot of Beverly Hills 90210 this summer, following their tweet releasing the news. A Dylan McKay/Luke Perry tribute many be included.

Emily Villanueva

UC Riverside '20

This year's current Social Media Director and Co-Editor @ Her Campus UCR! UCR Alumna - Creative Writing major with a minor in Theatre, Film and Digital Production. You'll find me in my element when traveling, writing, taking photos, watching 80's films and listening to oldies. I strive to work in the film industry as a screenwriter, or work in the entertainment industry as a whole. I hope my work inspires you, or is helpful!
Hi, I'm Savannah. I'm currently a Senior at UCRiveride studying Sociology. After graduation, I'm looking into doing Public Relations with a media and entertainment company. My favorite things to do are find the best shopping deals and go on road trips.