Dustin Diamond Has Passed Away At The Age Of 44

It was just a few weeks ago when we learned that Dustin Diamond was hospitalized in Florida. The prognosis ended up being stage 4 small cell carcinoma. And now we’ve learned the sad news that Saturday morning 90s teen TV legend, Dustin Diamond, has died after his short battle with cancer.

A rep for Dustin Diamond confirmed the news to Variety, saying that he passed away earlier today. His rep also released a more lengthy statement on Dustin’s death, saying:

“He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only 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. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that we are grateful.”

NEW: Dustin Diamond's rep confirms "Saved by the Bell" star's death today.

"Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful." pic.twitter.com/OcDqYRkge8

— Hayley Miller (@hayleymiller01) February 1, 2021

TMZ adds that Dustin’s girlfriend was with him when he passed. They say the cancer started somewhere in his body and metastasized in his lungs. This situation is made much sadder by the admission that Dustin believed he got lung cancer from staying in old moldy hotel rooms while on tour for comedy club appearances and meet-and-greets. Dustin’s form of cancer is common in smokers, but he never smoked.

Anyone who had access to television any time in the 90s, and was awake before noon, is likely feeling this news today like a punch directly to whatever part of your body holds onto nostalgia. Dustin Diamond was a showbiz kid who was born in San Jose, CA, and getting his start in commercials and small roles in It’s A Living, The Wonder Years, and Big Top Pee-wee. In 1988, Dustin Diamond landed the role that he would forever be associated with, whether good or bad, when he played Samuel “Screech” Powers in NBC’s Good Morning, Miss Bliss. When that show transitioned into the more grown-up Saved by the Bell after one season, Screech was one of three characters, along with Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s Zack Morris and Lark Voorhies’ Lisa Turtle, to move on with it.

If you’ve spent so much as an accidental 4 minutes watching Saved by the Bell, you know that Screech was one of those characters that would quickly go down in history in the Nerdy TV Teen Hall of Fame, in a wing adjacent to the atrium dedicated to Steve Urkel. Dustin leaned into his Screech character, showing up as a series regular from the beginning of the Saved by the Bell franchise until the end. He appeared in all 4 seasons of SBTB, the TV movies Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas, the one and only season of Saved by the Bell: The College Years, all seven seasons of Saved by the Bell: The New Class, and two episodes of NBC’s Hang Time. Several of Dustin’s former castmates paid tribute to his passing after it was announced:

https://twitter.com/MPG/status/1356329468671840256

Dustin, you will be missed my man. The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted. Prayers for your family will continue on… pic.twitter.com/BnxY9XgN5g

— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) February 1, 2021

I am deeply saddened by I the news of my old co-star @realdustindiamond passing. Life is extremely fragile and it’s something we should never take for granted. God speed Dustin. ???? https://t.co/r3NVsWK2K4

— Tiffani Thiessen (@TiffaniThiessen) February 1, 2021

As most people know, Dustin’s life outside of Bayside wasn’t as fun as it was on TV. Dustin still booked acting gigs, like Pauly Shore Is Dead, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, and appeared in commercials, but a lot of the time he was poking fun at his past as Screech. He also parlayed his Screech fame into a small reality TV career, appearing on Star Dates, Celebrity Fit Club, Celebrity Boxing 2, and Celebrity Big Brother. His personal life got really messy at times.

Dustin Diamond didn’t ever NOT want to be Screech, really. He showed up at meet-and-greets, he even wanted to play Screech again in the Peacock reboot of Saved by the Bell. He told TMZ that he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t brought back, but it probably didn’t help that Dustin sort of burned that bridge when he released his not-exactly-flattering tell-all Behind the Bell. So we’ll never see Screech or Lisa do an updated version of The Sprain set to whatever TikTok hit song Peacock could afford.

Rest in peace, Dustin Diamond.

Pic: Wenn.com