Saying Goodbye to Luke Perry

Luke Perry

In news that shocked all of us this morning, Luke Perry has passed away at 52 after suffering a ‘massive stroke’ just days ago. When we first heard that Luke was rushed to the hospital, our thoughts and prayers immediately went to those who loved him, in the following days, we hoped that we’d hear positive news about his condition.

That hope was shattered this afternoon as the reports began to roll in. One after one, it soon became hard to ignore. Surrounded by family and close friends, Luke took his final breaths before continuing his journey into the afterlife…far too soon.

For us, Luke was a first television crush. As Dylan McKay on 90210, we liked the brooding bad boy with the heart of gold. We all hoped to find a Luke of our own, with enough of that Dylan flair but that good guy heart at the core of who he was. We’ve spent a lot of the day watching interviews from the time between 90210 and now, and Luke’s sweet spirit was never out of the spotlight.

It doesn’t come as breaking news that everyone who has paid tribute to Luke has mentioned his kindness in some way, but it does add to the sting of the pain. While we were only lucky enough to be inspired by his talent and what we saw of him at conventions or in interviews, those who were close to him felt his love, his heart, and his light and it changed them. As Ian Ziering said above, he deserves a seat close to God…his heart was a good one.

That’s the kind of legacy we can only hope to leave on those around us.

So as we say goodbye to Luke Perry, we must also say goodbye to those characters he brought that special light and heart to. For us, of the many roles we loved of his, two of those characters are Dylan McKay and Fred Andrews, from 90210 and Riverdale, respectively.

As Fred Andrews on Riverdale, Luke stole the show. As the head of the ‘hot dads club’, Fred gave the best fatherly advice to the kids in Riverdale and cared so much for his son, Archie. In interviews and at conventions, it was clear that Luke cared about KJ Apa just as much.

He also had strong connections with every other character he interacted with. These bonds were a testament to who he was as a man, and to how compassionate and caring his heart was. These traits will certainly stand the test of time.

As Dylan in 90210, Luke’s portrayal of the character elicited two feelings – you either had a crush on him or you wanted to be him. There was really no middle ground there. It’s easy to attribute that to who Luke was as a person. There’s no shortage of tributes on social media now, where his co-workers and fans have called him everything from their first crush to their best friend.

For now, most who knew Luke are having a hard time finding the right words to say, which also comes as no surprise to us. It’s impossible to describe the passing of a man who gave so much of himself in words, but the ones that have been shared will hopefully lead to some healing of the hearts that are broken tonight.

https://twitter.com/CaseyCott/status/1102721233597063169

Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are being sent out to those who loved Luke in any capacity. May you continue to feel his light and love in your days to come.

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  1. If you haven’t ever watched the cult classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the movie not the t.v. show, I recommend it. Another chance to fall for the bad boy, Pike, played by a young Luke Perry.