Actress Farrah Fawcett died this morning after a long battle with anal cancer. Her death touched primarily because I care about people, but more so because I grew up wanting to be a ‘Charlies Angel.’
Fawcett was the blonde part of the trio Charlies Angels. The ladies (Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith) solved weekly crimes that the police couldn’t using their beauty and wit. They drove cool cars, wore hip clothing and always seemed to have it together.
From week to week, I would switch up, not being able to decide which Charlies Angel I wanted to be. To me, they were the epitome of cool. It also h
elped me to gain confidence as an intelligent black girl, that it was okay to be cute and smart all in one.
Today one of those Angels went to heaven.
I remember last month watching the documentary that was produced by her boyfriend Ryan O’Neal about her battle with cancer. I kept thinking, wow, Farrah is so brave to show the world her good days and her bad days. Most people I have known, have been ashamed to share their battle with cancer publicly. But, not Farrah. Farrah Fawcett bravely talked about how ill the chemo made her from time to time.
Farrah shared her disappointment with her medical treatment, and how tired she was having to travel to Germany to get cancer treatments that were not yet available in the United States. She even showed her shaved head to the public. That moment was the ultimate in transparency for me.
Farrah Fawcett was always known for her full mane of hair. Many teenage boys had a poster of her on their walls, showing that famous pose she will forever be known for. So, for Farrah Fawcett to show herself bald, it proved to me that she was approaching cancer with all her might and that the battle was on. Farrah, as we now know, was fighting a losing battle.
Today, as we talk about Farrah Fawcett’s death on the internet and at work, try to think of her as not a celebrity, but as a mother, a woman, a human being who fought cancer to its bitter end. I believe she wanted to show her personal struggle when she decided to allow Ryan O’Neal to film that documentary. I believe she wanted to lift the veil of celebrity and show Farrah Fawcett the woman, the person.
If you’ve ever lost a loved one, then you know mourning is a very private thing. And if you’ve ever lost a child, then it becomes even more painful.
Let’s respect Farrah Fawcett’s family, her father, her son and of course Ryan O’Neal. They are hurting beyond hurt right now. They’ve lost an Angel. Farrah Fawcett, dead at 62.
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