Patty Duke Dies Leaving Behind A Legacy Of Love

For all the negative things we have to say about social media, it can also, at times, be profoundly comforting. If you haven't yet heard the terribly sad news, actor Patty Duke has died at the age of 69, as her rep confirmed on Tuesday. While her loss to fans is great, it must be unimaginable for her husband, Michael Pearce. Fortunately, he has something positively beautiful and tangible to hold onto, as evidenced by Duke's final tweet, which was about their 30th wedding anniversary.

There are many legacies we can leave behind with our Internet footprint, but undoubtedly, Duke's is one of the more profound ones. Not only is her last tweet an ode to her relationship with her husband, but her tweet just before that also perpetuates her love and light — a sentiment that her family reflects in their statement about her death to Bustle:

This morning, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, matriarch and the exquisite artist, humanitarian, and champion for mental health Anna PATTY DUKE Pearce, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascender to a beautiful place. We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life. She died at 1:20 a.m. PST in Couer D’Alene Idaho at Kootenai Health from complications associated with a ruptured intestine.

Her Twitter bio itself, which reads, "Actress, Author, Mental Health advocate, Doctorate of Humane Letters, Civil Rights activist, Minister, Mother, Grandmother, Wife, and Friend," shows just how caring, genuine, and well-rounded she was as a person. It is truly no wonder that her penultimate and final tweets were indicative of her "infinite love and compassion" as her family professed. You can read Duke's emotional last tweets below:

These heartfelt musings are a decidedly beautiful way to be remembered. Rest in peace, Patty Duke.