Shannen Doherty’s ex-husband Ashley Hamilton has broken his silence on her death from breast cancer aged 53.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 star died on Saturday, July 13 following a nine year battle with the disease.
Shannen Doherty’s ex-husband Ashley Hamilton – who was wed to the star from 1993-1994, told TMZ: ‘Shannen was not only my wife, she was my guardian angel.’
‘Even though things don’t always work out the way we hope they will, she stood by my side during some of my darkest times.
‘My love and admiration for her lasted far longer than our short-lived marriage.’
‘Watching her battle that horrific disease with such stoicism was inspiring to many, but even more so to me since I am a cancer survivor,’ he added.
Ashley told the outlet that he regrets not reaching out to Shannen while she was battling cancer.
‘The world lost a free-spirited soul and my heart aches for her and for all those who loved her. May she rest in peace,’ he said.
It should be noted that while Hamilton’s struggles with alcohol, drugs, anorexia and bulimia have been well documented, there is nary a mention of cancer in his public history.
Before her death, the Heather’s star opened up about her ‘horrible’ marriage to Hamilton in an interview with her 90210 cast mate Jason Priestley on her Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty podcast.
‘I was in a really horrible marriage, and there were things that were transpiring in that marriage that made it really hard for me to be on time for work,’ she revealed while acknowledging her tardiness had repercussion for the cast and crew who ended up working even longer days that expected.
‘And I know that that became a very big problem for the rest of you, as it should be.’
At the time, Hamilton, 49, was a drug addict and Shannen confided there were times she was afraid to leave her house for fear he would go and buy drugs.
‘It wasn’t anybody’s responsibility but mine, but I sort of wish I would have been sat down and sort of looked at and said, “Listen, the end result is going to be this, you are going to get fired and none of us are willing to put up with it anymore,”‘ she said.
And Shannen dealt with another ex before she died – Kurt Iswarienko. She agreed to finalize her divorce from him just one day before her tragic passing.
According to multiple reports, the Charmed star signed a filing to waive spousal support on July 12. Doherty died the following day after a battle with breast cancer.
In addition, Doherty agreed to a ‘default or uncontested dissolution’ of the marriage.
The move indicates Doherty and her ex finalized their divorce without the involvement of the court.