Danielle Spencer, 'What's Happening!!' star, dies at 60

Danielle Spencer, who was best known for playing a child star in the 1970s ABC sitcom What's Happening!! as Dee Thomas, has died at the age of 60.

Her co-star, Haywood Nelson, announced the death of the actress on Tuesday in a post on Instagram.

“Brilliance! It comes in a great many forms. We all have them, and we all have this family’s — Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 – August 11, 2025),” the 65-year-old penned.

She continued, “Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body."

“We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer," the statement added.

“We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, ‘What’s Happening’ cast member, veterinarian animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine. Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced," Haywood concluded.

Born in 1965, Danielle died in a Richmond hospital, her co-star confirmed after she had been battling breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy in 2014.

In 2018, to relieve bleeding in her brain, the actress again underwent an emergency surgery. “She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage,” Haywood noted.

Meanwhile, the late actress also reprised her role in What's Happening Now!!'s sequel, but when it was cancelled, Danielle later opted for the veterinary field.

“She had a great love of animals; she was like Betty White in that way,” her friend and fellow actress concluded.