Valerie Harper is showing remarkable grace and courage as she faces the final days of her life following her terminal brain cancer diagnosis. INSIDE EDITION caught up with the TV icon.
Brave Valerie Harper is opening up about facing the end of her life. Valerie is composed in a video just posted on people.com. The video also shows the TV icon embracing her husband of 26 years, Tony.
In the video, Harper says, "Hello everyone, I'm Valerie Harper, you probably know me best as Rhoda. I recently got an amazingly shocking diagnosis that I had an incurable rare form of cancer. I just wanted to share this clearly and impactfully."
73-year-old Harper continues to live her life with grace and courage. INSIDE EDITION found her today striding to her car with Tony outside their home in Santa Monica. She told us she was on her way to shoot an appearance on TV's The Doctors.
"I'm going to film The Doctors," said Harper.
INSIDE EDITION asked how she was feeling, and Harper replied, "Great. Good."
She was dressed up in a hot pink sweater and high heeled boots. You'd never know that she has as little as three months to live.
We're learning more about how Harper is planning for the end of her life. She's chosen to live out her final days at her Spanish style bungalow in Santa Monica.
People Assistant Managing Editor Kate Coyne told INSIDE EDITION, "She wants to be surrounded by friends and family etc."
The day before Harper went public, she personally called her dear friend Mary Tyler Moore to tell her the news.
Mary Tyler Moore, who gave Valerie Harper her big break 43 years ago on the classic sitcom, released this statement: "I'm absolutely devastated by this news. Valerie has given so much joy, laughter and love to the world. I join her fans and send much love and positive thoughts to her and her family during this difficult time."
What Harper will likely endure during the last weeks of her life is daunting.
Dr. Leonard Farber told INSIDE EDITION, "What Valerie will likely experience in the next few weeks is trouble with motor function. Trouble moving her arms and legs and possibly seizures."
Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, even though she was a non-smoker. She described her struggle to beat the disease in her recently published memoir, I, Rhoda.
"Do you think it's cancer?" I asked.
"Yes," Dr. Mckenna said.
Stab in my heart...
"But I've never smoked!" I said.
The nation is embracing Valerie Harper.
Andy Cohen said, "She has really put life in the ultimate perspective."
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, who met Harper when she appeared in the series in 2011, summed up the heartbreak of people everywhere, saying, "She's not only a TV icon but a wonderful person."
