Shannen Doherty, a celebrated actress renowned for her roles in iconic TV shows, passed away at 53 after a prolonged health battle.
Her death was overshadowed by the nearly complete divorce from her estranged husband, raising concerns over her estate, Page Six reported.
Doherty died last weekend at her Malibu home, surrounded by her close friends and family. Her battle with cancer, which began as breast cancer and later metastasized to her brain and bones, lasted for nearly a decade. This debilitating illness marked the final years of her life with significant challenges, both personal and medical.
Amid her health struggles, Doherty sought to end her marriage to Kurt Iswarienko. They had been married since October 2011 but separated in April 2023. Her friends noted that achieving a divorce was Doherty's adamant wish as her condition worsened.
The process to legally dissolve her marriage was rapid and intense, culminating in a divorce filing on July 12. However, the divorce was not finalized before her untimely death the following night. This left her nearly severed marital ties in a complex state, given her considerable assets and ongoing financial disputes with Iswarienko.
Throughout their separation, Doherty accused Iswarienko of infidelity and financial withholding. These accusations came to light particularly as she faced declining revenues from her past work, notably from the "Charmed" series, which significantly impacted her financial stability.
In her final days, Doherty was represented by high-profile attorney Laura Wasser, who worked diligently to expedite the divorce proceedings. A friend close to Doherty expressed gratitude towards Wasser, noting her heroic efforts to legally grant Doherty her final wish to separate from Iswarienko.
Unfortunately, the divorce was only posthumously finalized, profoundly affecting those close to Doherty. "She fought so hard, and it's so unfair … Shannon died before the divorce could be rubber-stamped in the courts. All we wanted was for Shannon to get her final wish — to die as a divorced woman," a friend lamented.
The legal proceedings awarded Doherty several assets, including vehicles, a valuable painting, and half of the licensing fees from Iswarienko's photographic work. Despite these settlements, the strain of the legal battle, paired with her health fight, painted a tumultuous end to her life.
Doherty's oncologist, Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, shared poignant details of her final moments, noting she remained comfortable, surrounded by loved ones, yet emotionally unprepared to leave a life she cherished deeply. "In the last few hours, she was in a place where she was very comfortable and sleeping and transitioning, and she was surrounded by some of her very close friends … The hardest thing about this was that she wasn't ready to leave because she loved life," he explained.
The aftermath of Doherty's passing saw a mixture of mourning and controversy. Notably, Iswarienko, who remained romantically involved with his agent Collier Grimm, faced stark criticism from Doherty's circle, with one friend bluntly stating, "He's dead to me."
Conversely, Iswarienko's attorney, Katherine Heersema, attempted to present a conciliatory tone, stating, "He wants the best for Shannan, and he wants both of them to be able to put this case behind them and move forward."
This tragic conclusion of Doherty's life highlights not only her struggle with a devastating illness but also the complexities of her personal life, which remained unresolved till her last breath. The scenario underscores a poignant juxtaposition of a public figure's battle with personal vulnerabilities against a backdrop of fame and ongoing legal entanglements.
