A Shelley Duvall fan paid tribute to her “sweet” friend and the memories they made in recent years after “The Shining” star died on Thursday.
The actor, who is known for appearing in films including “Popeye” as well as her “Faerie Tale Theatre” series, died in her sleep of complications from diabetes at her Texas home. She was 75.
Sarah Lukowski, a Texas resident behind the Shelley Duvall Archives social media pages who befriended Duvall in her later years, took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm that she was aware the actor was facing health difficulties in recent months.
“I’ll always be grateful for the memories I created with her and that I was able to give her comfort and companionship,” Lukowski wrote on her personal page, along with a photo of the two on Duvall’s 75th birthday this past Sunday.
She continued: “She was so appreciative and when I left she thanked me for lifting her spirits. I’ll always remember that. She made such a positive impact on my life as I did on hers.”
Duvall’s recent birthday celebration included a number of baked goods and cards, Lukowski revealed in a series of sweet snaps, as the friends shared “lots of laughs and many hugs.”
“Birthday queen 🎂 Thank you Shelley for bringing me (and so many others!) lots of smiles, laughs, and comfort through your creative television productions and impactful films,” Lukowski wrote on Sunday. “Your talents and passion as an actress and producer will always be honored.”
Lukowski, who has over 285,000 followers across her Duvall-centric social media accounts, recently told Texas Monthly that she first became “enthralled” with the actor after discovering “The Shining” in 2016.
She later met Duvall in September 2022 when they had peach cobbler at a diner.
It felt like they were pals within minutes, according to Lukowski, who said one of her favorite memories with the actor was when Duvall gave her a sun hat last year.
She revealed that her relationship with Duvall reminded her of how “we’re all human.”
“We all go through trials and errors and ups and downs in our life. But at the end of the day, we still have our own passions. We’re still creative people,” Lukowski told Texas Monthly.
“Shelley’s been through a lot, but she’s still so kind and compassionate,” she continued. “That’s really what I admire the most about her, because you can see that throughout her career, she’s still the same Shelley today.”
