Singer Taylor Dayne learned about longtime friend Kirstie Alley’s death with the rest of the world on Monday. Dayne was diagnosed with colon cancer in July, the same type of cancer that took Alley’s life after it was “only recently discovered.” Alley was 71.
Dayne said she hopes to raise awareness about how common colon cancer is as she urged people to get a colonoscopy at age 40.
Boseman died in 2020 after a private battle with colon cancer. He was only 43.
The “Tell It to My Heart” singer, 60, and Alley met at a Super Bowl party in Florida and were friends for 25 years.
Dayne was diagnosed with colon cancer after a routine colonoscopy so it was caught early. She went public with her private battle last month.
Alley’s death was announced by her children, True and Lillie Parker, whom she shared with ex-husband Parker Stevenson. They thanked Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa for providing their “fierce and loving mother” with care at the end of her life.
Alley has been remembered by many people in the industry, including John Travolta, Jamie Lee Curtis and Cheers co-stars Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer.
