# Jaclyn Smith Remembers Her Last Goodbye to Farrah Fawcett > The Charlie's Angels star shares intimate memories of her friend's final years and their deepening bond during Farrah's cancer battle. - Title: Jaclyn Smith Remembers Her Last Goodbye to Farrah Fawcett - Summary: The Charlie's Angels star shares intimate memories of her friend's final years and their deepening bond during Farrah's cancer battle. True friendship… - Keywords: jaclyn smith, farrah fawcett, charlie's angels, cancer, ryan o'neal, kate jackson, aaron spelling, farrah's story, documentary, friendship, celebrity memoir, anal cancer - Source: Vanity Fair — https://vanityfair.com/story/jaclyn-smith-farrah-fawcett-excerpt - Author: Jaclyn Smith - Published: 2026-09-16T14:42:15.438+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: jaclyn smith, farrah fawcett, charlie's angels, cancer, ryan o'neal, kate jackson, aaron spelling, farrah's story, documentary, friendship, celebrity memoir, anal cancer ## Something was wrong at dinner After the 2006 Emmys honoring Aaron Spelling, Jaclyn noticed Farrah looked unwell. Her skin was pale and her famous hair lifeless. ## The devastating phone call In September, Farrah called with horrible news: she'd been diagnosed with anal cancer. Her first reaction was denial, just like Jaclyn's would have been. > I don't have cancer. It's got to be a mistake ## Ryan returned to her side Farrah and Ryan O'Neal had been separated, but reunited after her diagnosis. He'd battled leukemia himself and kept saying he'd take her cancer for her. > I would take it for you. ## Humor even in darkness When Ryan offered to take her cancer, Farrah joked back: give up your leukemia drug and let it return. She never lost her sense of humor. ## Tabloids printed lies The National Enquirer broke the news in October 2006 with fabricated stories. One headline screamed Farrah begged to die, which never happened. > Farrah Begs: 'Let Me Die.' ## A brief moment of hope After four months of aggressive chemo and radiation, Farrah announced on her 60th birthday she was cancer-free. Jaclyn's husband didn't believe it was over. > In the face of excruciating pain and uncertainty, I never lost hope. ## The cancer returned Four months later, doctors found a malignant polyp. Farrah called Jaclyn's husband Brad, a surgeon, to ask what she should do next. ## She chose Germany instead Brad found specialists who could help, but Farrah decided to try alternative treatments in Germany with Dr. Ursula Jacob instead of radical surgery. ## Documenting every moment Back in LA for her final six months, Farrah video-recorded all her appointments for a documentary. She believed sharing her experience could help others. ## Farrah insisted on filming When Farrah and Alana Stewart visited, they wanted to record Jaclyn's conversation with Farrah. Jaclyn was emotional and didn't want to be filmed. > Film her. ## Small comforts and care Jaclyn visited regularly, bringing Pinkberry frozen yogurt that Farrah loved. When Farrah was in pain, Jaclyn would rub her feet for hours. ## A grateful moment together After an acupuncture appointment, Farrah told Jaclyn she wouldn't have missed their time together for anything. It was the best thing for her. > I wouldn't have missed this time with you for anything. It's the best thing for me. ## She baked a chocolate cake Despite being so sick, Farrah went home and whipped up a German chocolate cake before coming to Jaclyn's for dinner. It turned out to be a joyful day. ## Trying on shoes one last time After dinner, Farrah wanted to try on Jaclyn's shoes, just like they did on Charlie's Angels years ago. Her swollen feet wouldn't fit. ## The final goodbye On an early summer afternoon in 2009, Jaclyn brought Pinkberry and rubbed Farrah's feet for hours. When they hugged goodbye, she felt an energy pass between them. > Don't worry about me. I'm going to get well. ## June 25, 2009 Farrah died on the morning of June 25, 2009. That summer afternoon had been the last time Jaclyn ever saw her friend. ## A Christmas gift and letter Farrah's last Christmas, she sent Jaclyn a bronze sculpture and a letter thanking her for helping navigate the ambiguous journey of cancer. ## Fear was her biggest test In her letter, Farrah wrote that fear was her biggest test. She'd never been bothered by it before, but this fear didn't work the same way. > Fear of everything seems just around the corner every day. And it's my biggest test because I was never bothered by fear. ## A sisterhood that lasted Kate Jackson, Farrah, and Jaclyn had a sisterhood felt by millions. Though their paths diverged, they remained part of each other's lives. ## The gift of being present At the end of Farrah's life, they recaptured the spirit of their first year as friends. Being there for each other mattered most. > I will always be grateful that Farrah and I stayed present with each other in the last years of her life. ## Key takeaway True friendship deepens in the hardest moments, and Farrah Fawcett's courage in documenting her cancer fight helped countless others facing the disease.