Danielle Spencer, Beloved ‘What’s Happening!!’ Star, Dies at 60

Danielle Spencer, who became famous as Dee Thomas on the hit 1970s sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” has died at the age of 60. Her publicist confirmed that she passed away on Monday at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Family spokesperson Sandra Jones said the cause was gastric cancer and cardiac arrest after a long fight with cancer.

Spencer’s role as Dee made her one of the most memorable faces of the show. She played the quick-witted and outspoken younger sister, and her character’s funny one-liners made her a fan favorite. She later returned for the follow-up series “What’s Happening Now!!” in the 1980s.

But behind the scenes, her life was marked by major health struggles. In 1977, during the first season of “What’s Happening!!,” Spencer was just 12 years old when she was in a serious car accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Her stepfather, Tim Pelt, died in the crash. She was left in a coma for three weeks and suffered injuries that would cause spinal and nerve problems for the rest of her life. She went through several surgeries over the years to deal with those injuries.

In 2018, Spencer had emergency brain surgery to treat bleeding caused by the same 1977 crash. After the surgery, a family spokesperson said she could only speak a little and needed crutches to walk. She had been living with symptoms from her accident for decades, and at one point she had to use a wheelchair and relearn how to walk.

Her health battles didn’t end there. In 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Speaking to Black America Web that year during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she said the news was a shock. “With everything that I’ve been through with the spinal cord injury, I said I know God is not going to give me another affliction, so I was completely shocked when the doctors told me.” She explained that breast cancer ran in her family but said, “I have a lot of help and support around me.” She chose to have a double mastectomy and hoped she could avoid chemotherapy or radiation.

Even with all these health issues, Spencer built a career outside of acting. Encouraged by her late stepfather, she decided to study veterinary medicine. She attended the University of California-Davis and later Tuskegee University Veterinary School in Alabama, becoming a licensed veterinarian in 1996. She spent much of her adult life caring for animals and advocating for their well-being.

Her family says they will remember her for her kindness, determination, and achievements both on and off the screen. Nelson, a family representative, said, “We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer. We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, ‘What’s Happening’ cast member, veterinarian, animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine. Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced.”

Danielle Spencer leaves behind a legacy of laughter, resilience, and compassion. From making people laugh on television to helping animals in her veterinary practice, she touched lives in many different ways.

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