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The entertainment industry responded with sadness as word spread of the death of actress Annie Wersching, 45, following a private battle with cancer. Wersching worked with and befriended a wide range of industry colleagues during a career that included the popular TV series, “24,” “Timeless,” “The Rookie” and “Star Trek: Picard.” Hallmark Channel stars Erin Cahill, Julie Gonzalo and Roger Cross expressed their heartbreak over Wersching’s death on social media and shared a fundraiser for the young children she left behind.
Family & Friends Remember Annie Wersching as an ‘Incredible’ Person
GettyAnnie Wersching in 2018.
Wersching died the morning of January 29, 2023, according to Deadline. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 but kept her illness private and continued to film season two of “Star Trek: Picard,” playing the Borg queen, and “The Rookie.”
Her husband, actor Stephen Full, released a statement to Deadline about his wife and how he’ll try to move forward with the three sons they shared — Freddie, 12, Ozzie, 9, and Archie, 4.
“There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today,” he wrote. “But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. ‘Go find it. It’s everywhere.’ And find it we shall.”
Full continued, “As I drove our boys, the true loves of her life, down the winding driveway and street, she would yell BYE! until we were out of earshot and into the world. I can still hear it ringing. Bye my Buddie. ‘I love you little family…'”
As word of Wersching’s death spread, many of her past and recent co-stars and friends shared their shock and sadness on social media.
In her Instagram Stories, Hallmark star Cahill — who guest starred with Wersching in the third season of “Body of Proof” with Dana Delaney — shared a photo that Wersching originally posted in 2016 on Instagram. The photo featured Wersching with Cahill and her husband, musician Paul Freeman, at a fundraiser they had held for BuildOn, an organization they work with to help build schools in developing countries.
At the time, Cahill had replied to Wersching’s post, thanking her for “being the absolute most fun!! We ADORE you!”
When Cahill shared the post in her Stories the evening of Wersching’s death, she wrote, “The loss of this beautiful soul is devastating. She was an incredible artist, and an even better human and mother.” Cahill added a broken heart emoji at the end of her message.
Hallmark actress Julie Gonzalo got to know Wersching when they co-starred on the 2012 reboot of “Dallas.” Upon learning of her death, Gonzolo shared her grief on Twitter.
She wrote, “Oh dear Annie. I remember what a beautiful light you were on the set of DALLAS. Rest in Peace now…”
Actor Roger Cross, who appeared in 2022 Hallmark movies “Game, Set, Love” and “All Saints Christmas,” also expressed his sadness on social media. The two worked together on “24” and he also appeared in an episode of “The Rookie.”
Cross retweeted several of his “24” colleagues’ memories and photos of Wersching, and in response to a report on her death, he wrote, “She was a wonderful person to be around! You’ll be missed Annie! Rest In Peace!!!!”
Fans & Stars Rally Around Annie Wersching’s Family With GoFundMe Campaign
Cahill and Cross were among many stars who urged Wersching’s fans and friends to contribute to a GoFundMe campaign set up by actress Ever Carradine.
Carradine wrote that the fund will make it possible for her family to grieve without Full needing to immediately return to work and to ensure they can afford to continue living comfortably. The fundraiser reached half of its $250,000 goal in the first 24 hours.
“It’s so they can continue to go to baseball games (Go Cardinals!) take music lessons and play little league,” Carradine wrote of the fundraiser. “It’s to help pay for college. It’s so Steve can continue Annie’s tradition of filling the house with every life-sized balloon that’ll fit in the car for birthday mornings. It’s to give them time to navigate life as a family of four without the burden of paying medical bills or funeral expenses. It’s so they can continue to live life in a way that they know would make Annie proud.”
Carradine also said that despite being a public person, Wersching was “private by nature, and the diagnosis made her even more so.”
Choosing not to publicize her cancer battle, Carradine wrote of Wersching: “She wanted to protect her boys. She wanted to get better so she could continue working. And honestly, she just didn’t really want to talk about it. She wanted to live her life, on her terms, and be with her family.”