Kirstie Alley’s Kids, Who Were By Her Side Until The End, Pay Tribute To Their ‘Amazing Mother’

Dec 09, 2022 by apost team

Actress Kirstie Alley, famed actress from the hit series “Cheers” and "Look Who's Talking” films, died of cancer on Dec. 5, 2022, at the age of 71. Her passing came as a shock and prompted an outpouring of tributes from friends and family.

Alley made her film debut as a Vulcan student in 1982’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” But it was the 1980s sitcom “Cheers” that catapulted Alley into stardom when she was chosen to replace Shelley Long. She won a Golden Globe and an Emmy in 1991 for her role as Rebecca Howe. Alley also won another Emmy for her role as Sally Goodson in “David’s Mother” in 1994. She starred in the NBC sitcom “Veronica’s Closet” from 1997 to 2000, the mini-series “North and South” in the 1980s and 1990s as well as the Showtime comedy “Fat Actress” in 2005. Besides the “Look Who’s Talking” films, Alley also starred in “Village of the Damned,” “It Takes Two,” “Deconstructing Harry” and “For Richer or Poorer.”

The mother-of-two also had a solid career offscreen as well. She produced a reality TV show and even published a book about her struggles with her weight. She eventually lost a whopping 100 pounds from competing on “Dancing with the Stars” for two seasons, clinching first runner-up in season 12 of the series and seventh in season 15. 

While Alley had a full and memorable career, it was not work that had given her the biggest feeling of fulfillment in her life. Instead, the star had expressed over the years that being a mother was her most important role, a sentiment many of her co-stars could attest to being the honest truth.

Alley had two children, True and Lillie, while married to actor Parker Stevenson. After enduring fertility struggles, which she detailed in her 2005 memoir “How to Lose Your Ass and Regain Your Life,” True was adopted in 1992 before Lillie was also adopted in 1995. Alley prided herself on being a good parent, telling People in 2006 her “best quality is that I'm a good mother.” She also told the outlet her children were protective of her and were her inspiration to get healthy. 

According to a statement the children released on social media, their mother passed after a short battle with cancer.

“We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” they wrote.

On Instagram, the post was accompanied by a picture of Alley smiling contentedly. “She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother, they continued,” they wrote. Alley first became a grandmother after True welcomed a son in 2016 and again when Lillie welcomed her first child, a son named Ripp Woodrow Graham, in May 2021.

They also expressed their gratitude to those at Moffitt Cancer Center who cared for their mother before adding, “Our mother’s zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did.”

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In the wake of Alley’s passing, several of her friends and former co-stars in the entertainment industry expressed their sadness, with many sharing anecdotes from their shared past in her memory. Among them was her “Look Who’s Talking” co-star John Travolta, who wrote, “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.”

Several of her “Cheers” castmates also shared kind words about Alley, with Ted Danson saying in a statement that he was “so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold. I will miss her.” Another cast member, Kelsey Grammar, said he “always believed grief for a public figure is a private matter, but I will say I loved her.” Rhea Perlman, meanwhile, described Alley as “a unique and wonderful person and friend. Her joy of being was boundless,” adding it was clear motherhood came naturally to her. 

“She loved kids and my kids loved her too. We had sleepovers at her house, with treasure hunts that she created. She had massive Halloween and Easter parties and invited the entire crew of the show and their families. She wanted everyone to feel included. She loved her children deeply,” Perlman said.

Alley’s “Scream Queens” co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also touched on Alley’s maternal persona, calling her “a beautiful mama bear in her very real life.” 

Alley’s ex-husband Stevenson also remembered her as a wonderful mother in a tribute after her passing. “I am so grateful for our years together, and for the two incredibly beautiful children and now grandchildren that we have. You will be missed,” he wrote.

Were you a big Kirstie Alley fan? What films or shows did you most enjoy watching her in? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to family and friends, too.