Dustin Diamond
The star, who was best known for his portrayal of the loveable nerd Samuel "Screech" Powers on Saved by the Bell, has died of cancer at age 44.
Dustin was diagnosed with stage four small cell lung carcinoma, which his spokesperson Roger Paul described as a "brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer," just three weeks ago.
"In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution," Roger said in a statement. "Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.
"Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh," Roger's statement continued. "Dustin Diamond was a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored. We are thankful he trusted us enough to share his genuine, authentic self with our team."
Dustin had his share of struggles, filing for bankruptcy in 2001. He was also arrested in connection with a bar altercation and spent time in prison.
"We want the public to understand that he was not intentionally malevolent," Roger said in his statement. "[Dustin] – much like the rest of those who act out and behave poorly – had undergone a great deal of turmoil and heartache. His actions, though rebukeable, stemmed from loss and the lack of knowledge on how to process that pain properly."
Born in San Jose in 1977, Dustin started acting from a young age, and landed his best-known role in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the predecessor to Saved by the Bell. He was with the show itself through its entire time on television, along with its sequels Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Saved by the Bell: The College Years.
Following his time playing Screech, Dustin appeared on reality shows such as The Weakest Link and toured as a stand-up comic. He married Jennifer Misner, his longtime girlfriend, in 2009. The two divorced in 2013.
Photo: © Noah Vasquez/Getty Images
![<h2>Dustin Diamond</h2>
<p>The star, who was best known for his portrayal of the loveable nerd Samuel "Screech" Powers on <i><strong>Saved by the Bell</i></strong>, has died of cancer at age 44.
<p>Dustin was diagnosed with stage four small cell lung carcinoma, which his spokesperson <strong>Roger Paul</strong> described as a "brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer," just three weeks ago.
<p>"In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution," Roger said in a statement. "Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.
<p>"Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh," Roger's statement continued. "Dustin Diamond was a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored. We are thankful he trusted us enough to share his genuine, authentic self with our team."
<p>Dustin had his share of struggles, filing for bankruptcy in 2001. He was also arrested in connection with a bar altercation and spent time in prison.
<p>"We want the public to understand that he was not intentionally malevolent," Roger said in his statement. "[Dustin] – much like the rest of those who act out and behave poorly – had undergone a great deal of turmoil and heartache. His actions, though rebukeable, stemmed from loss and the lack of knowledge on how to process that pain properly."
<p>Born in San Jose in 1977, Dustin started acting from a young age, and landed his best-known role in <i>Good Morning, Miss Bliss</i>, the predecessor to <i>Saved by the Bell</i>. He was with the show itself through its entire time on television, along with its sequels <i>Saved by the Bell: The New Class</i> and <i>Saved by the Bell: The College Years</i>.
<p>Following his time playing Screech, Dustin appeared on reality shows such as <i>The Weakest Link</i> and toured as a stand-up comic. He married <strong>Jennifer Misner</strong>, his longtime girlfriend, in 2009. The two divorced in 2013.
<p>Photo: © Noah Vasquez/Getty Images](/images/stories/0/2021/02/01/000/813/930/gallery_5_3.jpg)
