As the world continues to mourn the loss of Shannen Doherty, the late actress’ doctor details her final moments of life.
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Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, Doherty’s oncologist, spoke to PEOPLE about how close he and the Charmed star were leading up to her death.
“We both immediately got each other,” Piro, who is a doctor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said. “Sometimes that just happens.”
“The vibe is right and you understand each other and you understand what the thoughts mean as if you had known each other for years before that meeting. That’s what it was like for us when we first met, and it was that way all the way until the very last.”
Detailing Shannen Doherty’s final moments, Piro shared he was there along with some of the actress’ loved ones, including her dog. “In the last few hours, she was in a place where she was very comfortable and sleeping and transitioning,” he explained. “And she was surrounded by some of her very close friends. The room was surrounded by a select group of friends that were giving her a lot of care and support.”
Piro described the moments as “somber and sad, but beautiful and loving.”
“The hardest thing about this was that she wasn’t ready to leave,” he noted. “Because she loved life.”
Shannen Doherty’s Doctor Spoke About Her Being an ‘Active Participant’ in Her Cancer Journey
Dr. Piro also recalled how Shannen Doherty was a “very active participant” in her health journey.
“Whenever she learned some new fact or some new idea in her medical journey, she would immediately call me or forward something to me,” Piro said. “And we would discuss it and see whether it had any relevance to her scenario and where it would fit into the scheme of things for her.”
The oncologist then revealed he was always amazed by the way Doherty could separate her own emotions. Especially when it came to her difficult cancer battle. “She was so razor-focused and level-headed about those things.”
The oncologist believes Doherty’s legacy will be focused on how she treated others with kindness. “This tremendous love for life was inspired by a love for people,” he pointed out. “And a love for being treated well.”
He said he believes Shannen Doherty’s kindness stemmed from her growing up in the public eye. He also felt she was misunderstood most of her life.
Dr. Piro then said Shannen Doherty would want everyone to live their lives as strongly as they can. “Committed to our convictions,” he noted. “And to not allow others to label you or to misrepresent you and stop you from living your best life.”
Shannen Doherty passed away on Saturday, June 13. She was 53 years old.