Shelley Smith, an actress and former model has died aged 70 after suffering from a cardiac arrest. Taking to Facebook, her husband Michael Maguire revealed her passing as well as her cause of death.
“My dear, sweet angel [Shelley] Smith passed peacefully yesterday at 2:20 p.m.,” he wrote in the caption. “Her children, Nicky and Miranda Nathan and I were at her side and holding her hand and kissing her head and singing to her and telling her how much we loved her.”
“Shelley lived an incredible life!” Michael added. “We are all heartbroken, but we are also so fortunate to have been touched by this beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and incredible soul. Life is so short. Make every second count and fill every second with love.”
Shelley was best known for her role in The Associates and despite its short 13-episode run the series was acknowledged at both the Golden Globes and Primetime Emmy Awards. She also had a lead role in military drama For Love and Honour, which aired from 1983 to 1984. Shelley then appeared sporadically on shows including Simon & Simon, Fantasy Island, Magnum, P.I. and The Love Boat.
Shelley’s modelling career saw her appear in magazines like Vogue, Mademoiselle and Glamour, and gracing the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, according to Variety.
Later in her life, Shelley “helped thousands and thousands of people have babies” her husband revealed, following her own efforts to have her twins Nicky and Miranda through IVF and seeing “what was wrong with the industry.”
She founded The Egg Donor Program — now Hatch Fertility — in 1991, who have since shared a tribute to Shelley, writing: “The world of fertility and our Hatch family mourns the loss of Shelley Smith, a titan in the industry and the beloved founder of The Egg Donor Program and The Surrogacy Program – now known as Hatch. A trailblazer, Shelley founded the world’s first egg donor program and was at the forefront of surrogacy initiatives.
“The torch Shelley lit burns brighter than ever in each one of us at Hatch. We are committed to honouring her memory by pushing boundaries in the fertility realm, inspired by the path she laid out for us,” the post concluded. “May we always remember her not just as the founder of this incredible agency but as a beacon, guiding us toward a future filled with hope, love, and limitless possibilities.”
In other news – Princess Charlene and Prince Albert to return to South Africa
It’s been two years since Princess Charlene stepped onto a plane and left the country she called home for several months. Now, in better health and higher spirits, the Monaco royal is returning to South Africa with her husband Prince Albert for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa’s inaugural Water Bike Challenge.
The event is set to take place at Sun City next month. The Zimbabwean-born former Olympic swimmer has been an outspoken advocate for water safety and has over the years used her platform and foundation to educate others. Read More
