Charlotte Rae is dead at the age of 92, a rep confirmed on Aug. 5. The actress, who is best known for her role as the beloved Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life, passed away in her Los Angeles home. Her cause of death has not been confirmed, but in 2017, she did reveal that she was suffering from pancreatic and bone cancer. When she announced her diagnosis, she admitted that she was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer seven years earlier, but was able to go into remission after chemotherapy treatments without the public knowing.
When the cancer came back when she was 91, she decided to opt out of treatment and live the rest of her life to the fullest. “I’m not in any pain right now,” she explained at the time. “I’m feeing so terrific and so glad to be above ground. Now I have to figure out if I want to go have treatment again or opt for life. I love life. I’ve had a wonderful one already. I’ve had a great life, but I have so many wonderful things happening. I’d like to choose life. I’m grateful for the life I’ve already had.”