Luke Perry‘s fiancée is speaking out for the first time following his tragic passing.
Wendy Madison Bauer, whose relationship with the “Riverdale” star was very private, told PEOPLE, “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for the outpouring of love and support.”
She continued, “The countless, heartwarming stories of Luke’s generosity and kindness have been a great source of solace during this difficult time.”
Bauer went on to say, “The past 11½ years with Luke were the happiest years of my life, and I am grateful to have had that time with him.”
She concluded by saying, “I also want to thank his children, family, and friends for their love and support. We have found comfort in one another and in the knowledge that our lives were touched by an extraordinary man. He will be dearly missed.”
It’s unclear when Bauer and Perry got engaged and kept their relationship out of the public eye. The last event they were photographed at together was the GLAAD Media Awards in April 2017.
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Bauer’s statement came on the same day Perry’s “90210” co-star, Jennie Garth, lashed out at fans who questioned why she had yet to say anything on his passing.
“Anyone who knew him knows that and knows he didn’t give a f*#k about social media. So please don’t assume or judge or make rude comments. That’s really uncool. Sincerely, Jennie,” she wrote.
Garth’s comments come days after her other “90210” co-stars like Jason Priestley and Shannen Doherty paid tribute to their former castmate.
Priestley wrote a heartfelt tribute saying goodbye to Luke and Shannen said she was in complete shock over his death.
They weren’t the only co-stars who shared their grief about Perry.
Ian Ziering, Tiffani Amber Thiessen and his “Riverdale” castmates like Lili Reinhart and KJ Apa posted touching messages about the fallen star.
Luke Perry died on March 4 after being hospitalized following a stroke. He was surrounded by his family — including his daughter, Sophie, and son, Jack, who also broke their silence over his death.
Sophie thanked her mom for being “the rock” of the family, saying she’d never get through this “sh*t situation” without her, while Jack posted the tearful message: “my heart is broken thinking about everything you won’t be here for.”
Perry was 52 years old.
