- Suzanne Somers has passed away
- She was married to Alan Hamel for 46 years
- THIS was his poem to her before she died
Somers and Hamel met in 1967 and dated for nearly 10 years before marrying. Somers died the day before she would have turned 77. She was diagnosed with breast cancer more than 20 years ago. She announced in July that the cancer had returned. Written in all caps, the poem reads:
"LOVE I USE IT EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. I USE IT AT THE END OF EMAILS TO MY LOVING FAMILY. I EVEN USE IT IN EMAILS TO CLOSE FRIENDS. I USE IT WHEN I’M LEAVING THE HOUSE. THERE’S LOVE, THEN LOVE YOU AND I LOVE YOU!! THEREIN LIES SOME OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE USE LOVE. SOMETIMES I FEEL OBLIGED TO USE LOVE, RESPONDING TO SOMEONE WHO SIGNED LOVE IN THEIR EMAIL, WHEN I’M UNCOMFORTABLE USING LOVE BUT I USE IT ANYWAY."
Alan's grief is unimaginable
"I ALSO USE LOVE TO DESCRIBE A GREAT MEAL. I USE IT TO EXPRESS HOW I FEEL ABOUT A SHOW ON NETFLIX. I OFTEN USE LOVE REFERRING TO MY HOME, MY CAT GLORIA, TO THINGS GLORIA DOES, TO THE TASTE OF A CANTALOUPE I GREW IN MY GARDEN. I LOVE THE TASTE OF A FRESHLY HARVESTED ORGANIC ROYAL JUMBO MEDJOOL DATE. I LOVE BITING A FIG OFF THE TREE. I LOVE WATCHING TWO GIANT BLACKBIRDS WHO LIVE NEARBY SWOOPING BY MY WINDOW IN A POWER DIVE. MY DAILY LIFE ENCOMPASSES THINGS AND PEOPLE I LOVE AND THINGS AND PEOPLE I AM INDIFFERENT TO."
"I COULD GO ON AD INFINITUM, BUT YOU GET IT. WHAT BRAND OF LOVE DO I FEEL FOR MY WIFE SUZANNE? CAN I FIND IT IN ANY OF THE ABOVE? A RESOUNDING NO!!!! THERE IS NO VERSION OF THE WORD THAT IS APPLICABLE TO SUZANNE AND I EVEN USE THE WORD APPLICABLE ADVISEDLY."
Theirs was truly a great love. Throughout the course of their decades-long marriage, the pair worked closely to build Somers' lifestyle brand and wellness empire, with Hamel even serving as Somers' manager. In recent years, the two weren't afraid to talk about the inner workings of their relationship, including opening up about their sex life and how they never spent a day apart. "I've never enjoyed anybody in my whole life the way I enjoy Al," Somers told 'People' in 2020.
In a July Instagram post that announced the return of Somers’ breast cancer with which she was originally diagnosed in 2000, she made it very clear that she felt just as passionately for Hamel. "Every now and then the cancer pops up again, and I continue to bat it down," she wrote. "Alan has been by my side every step of the way. I can’t even explain how much he has done for me. If it’s even possible, we are even closer than ever."
After meeting, Somers and Hamel were never without each other, dating for 10 years before tying the knot in 1977. Together, they worked to blend their families and their children.
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The lovely love letter carried on.
"THE CLOSEST VERSION IN WORDS ISN’T EVEN CLOSE. IT’S NOT EVEN A FRACTION OF A FRACTION OF A FRACTION. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE DOES NOT DO IT. I’LL TAKE A BULLET FOR YOU DOESN’T DO IT. I WEEP WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY FEELINGS FOR YOU. FEELINGS… THAT’S GETTING CLOSE, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY."
"55 YEARS TOGETHER, 46 MARRIED AND NOT EVEN ONE HOUR APART FOR 42 OF THOSE YEARS. EVEN THAT DOESN’T DO IT. EVEN GOING TO BED AT 6 O’CLOCK AND HOLDING HANDS WHILE WE SLEEP DOESN’T DO IT. STARING AT YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE WHILE YOU SLEEP DOESN’T DO IT. I’M BACK TO FEELINGS. THERE ARE NO WORDS. THERE ARE NO ACTIONS. NO PROMISES. NO DECLARATIONS. EVEN THE GREEN SHADED SCHOLARS OF THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS HAVE SPENT 150 YEARS AND STILL HAVE FAILED TO COME UP WITH THAT ONE WORD. SO I WILL CALL IT, ‘US’, UNIQUELY, MAGICALLY, INDESCRIBABLY WONDERFUL ‘US.’"
Somers met Hamel on the set of 'The Anniversary Game', where she worked as a prize model, and Hamel hosted the syndicated game show during its one-year run. Though her time on the show was brief, a flame between Somers and Hamel ignited that never burned out. Suzanne told 'People' in 2017 that Hamel "turned on women and turned on men."
"Everybody liked him, everybody liked to be around him. I just stood in awe," she said. At the time of her death, Somers’ family was gathered to celebrate her birthday. "Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly," a statement said.
Our hearts are with Somers’ friends and family during this difficult time.
