The report on Thursday that daytime TV icon Jerry Springer had died shocked the internet. Even as his battle with cancer became increasingly dire, Springer kept it from the public in order to spare his many fans from having to worry about him, his family said.
Springer, who became a household name for the salacious spectacles that regularly took place on his controversial show, was apparently a fairly private person who knew his cancer meant he would not live long and chose to spend as much of his last months with family as possible, according to TMZ.
Only a small circle knew about the entertainer’s illness, and even his former co-host Steve Wilkos told the publication that Springer had just a few months ago opted for a nostalgic conversation over cigars rather than telling his friend about the illness.
“He and his family thought it was especially important to keep his cancer private, as they didn’t want to worry other people. Instead, Jerry’s family shifted their entire focus to aiding with his care, which became extremely time-consuming,” TMZ reported.
