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The Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley posted a touching tribute to his and Ian Somerhalder‘s on-screen mother and former co-star Annie Wersching at the age of 45. “I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Annie Wersching – a wonderful and talented person I was lucky enough to know,” Paul, 40, wrote over a sweet selfie of the two. “Please contribute to the go fund me page set up in her name below. Link below.”
The St. Louis native became the primary antagonist as the mother of Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stephan (Paul Wesley), Lillian ‘Lily’ Salvatore. The character appeared through the sixth and seventh seasons of the show, reappearing as a vampire after supposedly having died in 1858.
Annie sadly passed away at just 45 years old on Sunday, January 29 after private battle with cancer. A GoFundMe page for her husband Stephen Full and their sons Freddie, 12, Ozzie, 9, and Archie, 4, notes she was diagnosed in 2020, however, did not come forward with her illness and continued to work on several film and television projects, including The Rookie.
Julie Plec, the show runner for The Vampire Diaries, also posted a tribute via Twitter. “So sad to her this. I became a fan from ‘24’ and was lucky to be able to have Annie play mama to two of the hottest vamps in town,” she wrote. “This go fund me is for her family. RIP Annie, you wonderful soul. For Annie’s Boys… Freddie, Ozzie and Archie,” she also said.
“Annie was diagnosed with cancer Summer of 2020. She’s a private person by nature, and the diagnosis made her even more so. She wanted to protect her boys,” the message on the GoFundMe page read, aimed at raising money for her husband and sons. “She wanted to get better so she could continue working. And honestly, she just didn’t really want to talk about it. She wanted to live her life, on her terms, and be with her family,” the note also said.
“Annie lived for her family. She loved her work and cherished her friends, but Steve and the boys were her absolute everything. This Go Fund Me is for them. It’s so Steve can have time to grieve without the pressure of needing to work. So he can be daddy to Freddie (12), Ozzie (9) and Archie (4) as they navigate the future without their mom, without sweet Annie,” the message continued.
“It’s so they can continue to go to baseball games (Go Cardinals!) take music lessons and play little league. It’s to help pay for college. It’s so Steve can continue Annie’s tradition of filling the house with every life-sized balloon that’ll fit in the car for birthday mornings. It’s to give them time to navigate life as a family of four without the burden of paying medical bills or funeral expenses. It’s so they can continue to live life in a way that they know would make Annie proud,” it also read.
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