The night before she “died peacefully in her sleep” on Sunday morning, Suzanne Somers, Alan Hamel wife of 46 years, heard a wonderful poem he had written to her.

R. Couri Hay, Somers’ longtime publicist, tells PEOPLE that Hamel, 87, “gave it to her a day early and she read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep.” Hamel and Somers had been married since 1977 after dating for ten years.

Somers lost her lengthy fight with breast cancer one day before what would have been her 77th birthday.

After reading the poem and going to bed, the “Step by Step” actress “died peacefully in her sleep”

Written in all the caps, the poem reads:

“LOVE I USE IT EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. HE SAID 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.”

Continuing:

“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.”

“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.”

Hamel wrote:

“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.”

 

“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,” he shared. “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.”

The He concluded:

“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.’”

 

Her publicist told PEOPLE that Somers passed away on Sunday morning, one day before she would have turned 77.
“Suzanne Somers died quietly at home on October 15 in the early hours. She endured an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years, according to Hay, who spoke on the actress’s behalf in a statement to PEOPLE.

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The statement said, “Suzanne was surrounded by her devoted husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family. On October 16, her family came together to celebrate her 77th birthday. Instead, they will honor her exceptional life and express their gratitude to all of her countless admirers.

Somers was best recognized for her work on Step by Step and Three’s Company.

Hay says there will be a private family burial this week and a memorial service in November.

 

FAQS

What was Alan Hamel famous for?

Hamel is a well-known producer and TV personality who is well-known for his appearances on a variety of shows. His assistance had been essential in Suzanne’s battle with cancer. It was later discovered that he had given her a letter as an early birthday present before she passed away at the age of 76.

Who is Alan Hamel’s first wife?

Personal life: Hamel has two children, Stephen and Leslie, from his first marriage to Marilyn Hamel. He met his current wife, Suzanne Somers, an actress and author who is 10 years younger than him, while she was a prize model on the game show he hosted, The Anniversary Game.

 

How old is Susan Summer husband?

One day prior to her passing on Sunday at age 76, Suzanne Somers’ husband Alan Hamel gave the “Three’s Company” actress a handwritten message. The poem was given to Somers by Hamel, 87, as part of an early birthday present.

What show did Alan Hamel host?

He presented two game series on the ABC network in the late 1960s called Wedding Party and The Anniversary Game. These shows eventually led to his own talk show, The Alan Hamel Show, on CTV.

Is Alan Hamel Canadian?