Patty Duke, a legend in both film and television, has passed away at the age of 69. Duke died Tuesday morning of sepsis from a ruptured intestine, according toPage Six. "She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a mental health advocate and a cultural icon," Duke's manager, Mitchell Stubbs, said in a statement. "She will be greatly missed."
Though she landed an Oscar for her portrayal of Helen Keller in the 1962 film adaptation of The Miracle Worker at just 16 years old, Duke took her career to even greater heights just one year later with The Patty Duke Show:
Actor Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, The Goonies) issued a statement on the passing of his beloved mother via Facebook, thanking her for her compassion and championing of mental health issues. "I love you mom," Astin wrote. Astin also shared a photo of his mother holding him as a baby, promising that her work will endure:
As news of Duke's passing made its way across social media, fellow entertainers impacted by her life and work took to Twitter to pay tribute to a true legend of the industry:
Rest in peace, Patty Duke.
