Dustin Diamond, the 44 year-old actor who is best known for playing Screech Powers on “Saved By The Bell,” has reportedly been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
A rep for Diamond told Entertainment Tonight that the diagnosis is “serious” and that the actor is in the hospital, where he will remain “for awhile.”
“He’s undergoing chemo so he will be there at least another week and then we will figure out when he gets to come home,” the rep explained. “By next week, we’ll have a much better understanding of the severity of his condition and what treatments he will need so that he’s comfortable.”
The rep added that Diamond is feeling “fine” today, though he was not doing so great when he was admitted to the hospital.
“He was fading in and out, feeling sleepy and tired,” the rep said. “On top of all this he also has shingles, so he’s been in a lot of pain.”
Another rep for Diamond said that Diamond’s medical problems began with “a huge lump on his throat.”
Diamond’s former costar Mario Lopez has already spoken out to address his cancer diagnosis.
“I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he’ll overcome this,” Lopez wrote on Twitter. “Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery. God Bless.”
I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he’ll overcome this. Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery.
God Bless pic.twitter.com/zRKioFvhMl— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) January 15, 2021
A rep for Diamond delved further into his diagnosis in a statement released to US Weekly.
“The rumor is stage IV. We just want to confirm it with the doctors before I say 100 percent that that’s it,” the rep said. “No matter what stage it is, cancer is a serious issue. He’s doing treatments — I say treatments because it can be more than chemo — and once he’s done the treatments, which will hopefully be sometime next week, we’ll have a better idea of how bad it is and the severity of what we need to do to help him heal.”
Diamond was left out of last year’s reboot of “Saved By The Bell,” and he has had multiple run-ins with the law in the years since the original show ended. Please join us in saying a prayer that he is able to overcome his cancer battle.
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