Fans of Beverly Hills 90210 are still in shock over the sudden passing of Luke Perry, who played misunderstood bad boy Dylan McKay.
He was also the subject of a slew of teenage crushes in the 90s.
The actor, whose last role was on the CW's Riverdale, died while under care at Saint Joseph Medical Center Burbank early Monday morning on March 4. He was 52.
While his family is mourning the loss of a loving father, fans and co-workers in the entertainment industry have been sharing their condolences on social media.
Shannen Doherty, who played Dylan's sweetheart, Brenda Walsh, is especially devastated over the news.
The 47-year-old actress shared her grief on Instagram with a recent photo of the two of them along with photos of their time together during 90210.
The beloved teen drama created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling ran from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000. (Perry appeared in the show since the first season but took a three-year hiatus in 1998 and finished the series with the rest of the cast in 2000.)
You can scroll through the photos in the post below by clicking on the arrows appearing in the image. This brief walk down memory lane will be very nostalgic for those who grew up watching 90210.
You've been warned. (Sniffs)
Since 90210 wrapped in 2000, the two co-stars drifted apart, but reconnected after Doherty's cancer diagnosis went public in 2015.
The Charmed actress is currently in remission and last saw Perry for lunch a few weeks ago at a restaurant that allowed his dog "Penny." She described her unforgettable visit with him.
Doherty told PEOPLE:
"A couple of weeks ago in February, Luke and I met up for lunch. He chose the restaurant based on who would allow his dog,"
"I walked in and there he was, smiling, with his dog Penny and her bed under the booth, happy as can be. I will never forget — and will miss — Luke looking at me with that smile of his saying … 'Shan.'"
She reflected fondly on her late friend as someone "with a heart of gold."
"I am in shock. Heartbroken. Devastated by the loss of my friend. I have so many memories with Luke that make me smile and that are forever imprinted on my heart and mind."
"Luke was a smart, quiet, humble and complex man with a heart of gold and never-ending well of integrity and love."
"Luke reached out to me during my cancer journey and we picked right back up, albeit older and wiser, but that connection remained in tact."
Fox announced a six-part mini series reboot of Beverly Hills 90210 with original cast members returning to play heightened versions of themselves; however, Perry and Doherty did not sign on for the project.
Instead, Doherty had ambitions of teaming with her onscreen sweetheart in another capacity for the show's fans.
"There is a special kind of love one has for each other when you are experiencing the journey we did on '90210' and of course life in general. Luke and I were working on show ideas for us."
"We wanted to work with each other again and create something special and meaningful for our fans at this stage in our lives."
"I will miss him everyday. Every minute. Every second."
Gen X-ers will always remember Brenda and Dylan as the quintessential TV couple from the 90s. Fans grieved right along with Doherty and sent her some much needed love and sympathies.
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@thesando/Instagram
@DohertyShannen Sorry to hear about Luke passing away Shannen hang in there I know u will get though this u are so… https://t.co/X3mktys2FJ— Kellie Griffin (@Kellie Griffin) 1551808102
@thesando/Instagram
@thesando/Instagram
@thesando/Instagram
@thesando/Instagram
Dylan and Brenda forever 💔 #LukePerry #RIP https://t.co/NbWaqI25FI— Christine Estera (@Christine Estera) 1551731452
@thesando/Instagram
@thesando/Instagram
Dylan and Brenda were my OTP. #RIPLukePerry https://t.co/bfav969z03— Queen of the Tube #BB22 #BBLF (@Queen of the Tube #BB22 #BBLF) 1551731240
@thesando/Instagram
A day before Perry's death, Entertainment Tonight spoke to Doherty on the red carpet at the Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation's Compassion Gala.
When asked to share any well wishes for Perry and his family while he was under care, she remained hopeful for his recovery while trying to maintain her composure.
"I can't talk about it because I'll literally start crying," she said.
"I love him and he knows I love him, and I'm in contact. It's Luke and he's my 'Dylan'"
"Everybody just keep positive, wonderful thoughts. That's all I'm gonna say."
You can watch the YouTube clip of her ET interview below.
Shannen Doherty Emotionally Sends Well Wishes to Luke Perry (Exclusive)www.youtube.com
Doherty fondly remembers how much Perry loved his son Jack, 22, and daughter Sophie, 19, both of whom he had with his ex-wife Minnie Sharp.
She said:
"Luke loved his family. He raved about his kids and how proud he was of them. He showed me videos of them often."
"They were his heart and for him, his biggest accomplishment."
Our hearts go out to Perry's family and friends during this difficult time.
Rest in peace, Luke. You will be missed.
Redditor imboredaa wanted to discuss all the ways so many of us get lost watching things on the internet, so they asked:
"What are some of the craziest/strangest rabbit holes you’ve ever been down?"
I constantly get lost on talent show audition rabbit holes.
And I am proud!
Restored
Serial Killer Chainsaw GIF by Rise RecordsGiphy"YouTube videos of old chainsaw restorations. No idea why, but I guess that’s why it’s a rabbit hole. I don’t even own a chainsaw or have a need for one."
aretelio
'rooms/shared'
"I really enjoy going on a city’s Craigslist, then to 'rooms/shared' (or whatever it is for finding a room mate) and then typing words like 'warning' or 'beware' in the search to see what kind of horror show nightmare room mate scenarios people have decided to write about... it's usually some juicy headline like 'warning!!!'"
"Do NOT rent from this woman!!!! She is a PSYCHO!!….'"
"And after reading it, it’s always a guess to decide who is the actual crazy person, the landlord or tenant. Could be a bitter ex, tenant, or a scam, or whatever. But it’s an easy way to dive quick into some weird corners of the internet that are filled with drama."
After the Ice
"I spent a bunch of time about 12 years or so ago reading about all the details of the Titanic, how it sunk, what happened as it was sinking, who died, who survived. I got into the life stories of the people who died, and what became of the people who survived. And then I very nearly bought a piece of carpet from the Titanic."
SweetCosmicPope
Expeditions
"Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition"
"Dumb, then numb, a** thought he could fly a balloon to the North Pole. They had cyanide capsules and all, in case they crashed and were about to freeze to death. Or get eaten by a polar bear during a three month night. He and his assistants somehow managed to do both."
"Plot twist: Andree, the worst captain of all time, noticed the balloon was leaking the night before they were about to leave, pumped it up a bit, and said 'f**k it that'll do.' It did not do."
Needydadthrowaway
Thanks John
"An Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. Started with 1 and ended up with a 20+ collection."
originalsanitizer
"Uncle John's Bathroom Readers are so addictive."
evanman69
Toilet time can be knowledge time.
Living Sky High
City In The Sky Vfx GIF by PBSGiphy"Turning old planes into houses! About 10 years ago I found a company that would do it for you. The wings were decks and the plane was mounted to a pedestal that allowed it to be rotate with the sun!"
BeeEyeAm
Doggerland
"Mega tsunamis. Thousand foot walls of water moving at hundreds of mph? It happens more than you would think. The Azore-Gibraltar fault will cause one one day. There evidence they happened a few times in the Pacific. It doesn't take a meteor to happen, it could be an underwater landslide (Doggerland), or a large section of a volcanic island shearing off and falling into the ocean (Oahu). Doggerland is another rabbit hole that is worth googling."
KD_Burner_Account133
Hitting the Keys
"Mechanical keyboards. I wanted to buy one, so I started researching and watching videos of reviews. I went deeper and deeper, seeing special cables, obscure companies, the tons of switches, etc etc."
"I stopped when a Youtuber I watched made a video asking her viewers and discord users to stop bullying and harassing her for using some kind of switches or keycaps. I bought my keyboard and never went back to that crazy fandom."
NirvanaForce
In the Sky
"I worked in administration at an aviation academy for a few years and decided I’d start listening to aviation podcasts since I didn’t know much about it. I came across a plane crash podcast that talks about crashes in history and how it improved the safety of flying."
"I was fascinated by it, and found myself gradually needing to know more and listening to more of the same type of podcasts, watching videos, and listening to black box recordings. It was eerie but interesting at the time. Now, I regret it tremendously because since then I’ve developed horrible anxiety when flying."
contagiousphrase
The Big Questions
steve harvey lol GIF by TV Land ClassicGiphy"Spent a lot of time in the 'quantum consciousness' rabbit hole. I had just deconstructed from religion and wanted answers about life, death, and reality. It was long before I made peace with not knowing. I spent around a year obsessed with quantum experiments, psychedelics, and the general philosophy of consciousness."
excusetheblood
Lives (and chores) can be put on serious hold when you find a juicy enough topic to research!
Well, what rabbit holes have you gotten lost in? Let us know in the comments below.
Redditor Who_Did_You_Expect1 wanted to hear about the things from our memories that still haunt our nightmares, so they asked:
"What's the most f--ked up thing you saw that still haunts you to this day?"
Living through peril is unimaginable. I've been luckier than most.
Tragic
Sad Best Friends GIF by Lisa VertudachesGiphy"I watched cancer kill my baby brother. He was in grade school when I was in college. 25 years, and I still see it in my dreams."
TheDigitalRanger
Ay Dios mio, Dios mio!
"When I was about 8, my sister and I were walking with my mom to a bus stop to see my grandma in Mexico city. There was a lady on a bike crossing the intersection that we had just crossed ourselves but she didn't stop in time to the next one and didn't look both ways, she didn't have time to stop her bike. All I remember is the lady making the beginning of a scream as a white old muscle car ran over her (bike and all) at a high speed."
" remember the sound it made as it broke everywhere. My mother took her sweater off as she screamed and covered both my sister's and my head from looking, but it was too late. I remember looking at my sister with tears in her eyes, and I was too shocked to react or comprehend what I had just seen happened. A lot of people immediately surrounded the place, and the driver came out of his car and held his head with his hands after seeing the lady on the pavement."
"I didn't look at the lady anymore. I remember hearing people screaming in shock. My mother told my dad later as she cried. I remember hearing her wake up screaming for weeks after this saying: ay Dios mio, Dios mio! Still makes my heart race when I think about it."
amahied
I Quit
"I was a news photographer for a while in the 90’s. I got called out to an accident. A high school girl ran into the back of a semi. As I was shooting, I noticed her wallet was on the ground. It had a plastic picture holder and the wind was flipping back and forth. I saw her prom pictures and shots of her with her family."
"I quit being a news photographer shortly after. I never forgot that day, and it still haunts me."
No_Confusion4720
Images
"I saw the aftermath rather than the actual event. A woman was walking home from the grocery store late at night. She crossed the road without using the crosswalks and got hit by an SUV. The two images cemented in my mind are of her, embedded in the windshield, and the driver of the car standing a little ways down the street vomiting. I've never seen someone look so utterly broken as the way the driver looked. I can't imagine what he was going through."
GrowlyBear2
Everyday
Sad Rabbit GIF by Muffin & NutsGiphy"When I was 16 I was in a car wreck with my best friend since 3rd grade. I pulled him from the car with a broken shoulder while he was bloody, lifeless, limp. He died within the hour, not long after the ambulance got us. It’s been 18 years and I still think about it every single day."
oil_can_guster
I couldn't imagine living with that.
I also couldn't move...
"Coming to after getting hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian. Was face down, all I could see was blood soaked road and thought 'f**k, that doesn't look good.' I also couldn't move. The last thing I remember seeing before that was the grill of the vehicle. I still get jumpy when I catch a vehicles grill out of the corner of my eye and I'm not expecting it to be there."
"I'd seen a lot of accidents prior to that, but something about it being my own blood hit different."
"And yes, I had the right of way and was crossing in the proper place, at the proper time. Driver plain a** wasn't paying attention. It was daylight to boot, so no reason they couldn't see me."
Sweet_Force1478
Bad Dreams
"I was volunteering with my k9 working with NYC emergency services and chief Patell during 911 WTC attacks. We were in the middle of where the twin towers used to stand The thick gray dust, horrible smell of burnt things and dead people was all around but when the dogs started to find bodies and body parts it really freaked me out and I will forever live with this reality that seems like a bad dream."
DjCanicus
Missing
Confused Wile E Coyote GIF by Looney TunesGiphy"A family of four that had burned in a plane crash. I used to do a woodland search and rescue, and we saw a lot of wild crap, but I still have dreams about what I saw when we went to look for a missing plane."
JalenTargaryen
Goodness life is dark sometimes.
Do you have any similar experiences? Let us know in the comments below.
