Shannen Doherty has paid a touching tribute to her late father for his birthday.
The 45-year-old actress took to Instagram over the weekend to share a heartfelt message to her father John Thomas Doherty – who passed away in 2010 at the age of 66 – whom she called her "hero" and her "mentor".
Posting a sweet image of herself with her father, the ‘Charmed’ star wrote: "March 25 this beautiful light entered the world and left a lasting impression upon everyone he encountered….. they say we pick our family. I would pick him over and over again. Every time. My hero. My mentor. I’m ridiculously lucky to have had him guiding me, teaching me and loving me. He still is. Daddy I love you. Still. Always. Forever. #adadslove. (sic)"
The former ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ actress announced via her publicist in November 2010 that her father had passed, almost a year after he had suffered a stroke on Christmas Day in 2009.
She said at the time: "[He was] greatest man in the world … I love him with every inch of my being and cannot imagine life without him."
And Shannen’s life hasn’t been without difficulty in the years since her father’s passing either, as in 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Recently, the star completed chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and dubbed herself a "cancer slayer" for being able to get through her treatment.
She wrote on Twitter last month: "Last day of chemo. Exhausted. Now that I’m done with chemo and radiation, the waiting game is here. Waiting for test. Waiting to see if I’m clear or not. Waiting for reconstruction. Waiting. I think when one gets cancer, they are always waiting to a certain extent. To those who know… I’m waiting with you. #cancerslayer (sic)."
And Shannen previously admitted she was frightened to undergo radiotherapy, and during her first session she was tempted to run away.
She said: "First day of radiation treatment. I look like I’m about to make a run for it which is accurate. Radiation is frightening to me. Something about not being able to see the laser, see the treatment and having this machine moving around you just scares me. I’m sure I’ll get used to it but right now…. I hate it. #radiation #radiationmondaysucks #stillfightinglikeagirl (sic)."
Shannen Doherty pays tribute to late father
