The Sweet Way ‘90210’ Star Jason Priestley Remembers Luke Perry Stopping By Unannounced: How the Actor’s Death Changed His Outlook on Life

“Luke and I obviously were really good friends when we were working on the show together. We were really good friends outside of that too,” Priestly said.

Perry and Priestly worked together on the popular teen drama “Beverly Hills 90210” that began its run in 1990. The duo became teen idols during the show’s run and their on-screen chemistry extended off-screen as well. Priestly told fellow cast members that he and Perry lived near each other, which allowed for some pop-in visits.

“He lived three blocks away from me in Los Angeles and he would just ride his bike over to my house and ring the doorbell. I’d be like, ‘who’s here?’ and I’d open the door and it’d be Luke, like ‘hey dude, what’s up!'” Preistley said.

The two also worked together on projects outside of “Beverly Hills 90210.”

“We worked together a number of times outside of the show and we really enjoyed all the years we had together but unfortunately that got cut short,” Priestly said.

The actor explained how deastating Perry’s death was for him and how it changed his outlook on life.

“It was a real freak thing that happened with him and it was a good reminder to spend time with people you love and never take any of it for granted,” he said.

Remembering Luke Perry

Perry’s first big break came in the 90s when he played Dylan McKay on “90210” — and his acting career took off from there. He worked on the show from 1990 to 1995 and 1998 to 2000. More recently, Perry played Fred Andrews in the CW hit “Riverdale.”

Perry suffered a stroke in his home on Feb. 27, 2019, and after spending several days in the hospital, he passed away on March 4, 2019, according to People. The stroke that sadly took Perry’s life at age 52 wasn’t his first health issue. Perry had a colorectal cancer scare in 2015, when doctors found precancerous growths and removed them, according to Page Six.

“If I had waited [to be screened], it could have been a whole different scenario,” Perry told Fox News in a 2017 interview.

Perry became an advocate for colorectal screenings after his diagnosis, according to The Mirror, U.K. based news outlet.

Perry was a father of two to Sophie and Jack Perry. Jack, now 25, is currently a professional wrestler for “All Elite Wrestling.”

Co-Stars Reflect on Friendship with Perry

On the one year anniversary of his passing, co-star Ian Ziering shared a photo on his Instagram remembering Perry.

“Hard to believe it’s been a year since losing Luke,” the caption read. “Though time heals wounds, the pain of loss lasts forever. Miss you so much pal. #RIPLuke,” Ziering wrote in a caption.

More recently, other cast members including Shannen Doherty, a breast cancer warrior herself, remembered Perry on the four-year anniversary of his passing. She reshared a clip in February from the show of her and Luke Perry embracing on the beach.

In the clip, Doherty is seen kissing Perry while laying in the sand as the ocean waves come crashing down on them. At one point, the waves become overwhelming and the actors jump up and laugh, before Perry runs further into the water with Doherty right behind.

READ MORE: Shannen Doherty Gets Confidence Boost After Chemo Left Her With Thin Eyebrows — How Brow Tattoos Can Help Rebuild Self Image During Cancer Journey

“Luke was a smart, quiet, humble and complex man with a heart of gold and never-ending well of integrity and love,” Doherty previously shared. “Luke reached out to me during my cancer journey, and we picked right back up, albeit older and wiser, but that connection remained intact.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness

As previously mentioned, Perry dedicated some of his free time advocating colorectal cancer screenings. In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, SurvivorNet wants to remind you to stay current on your colon cancer screenings.

WATCH: When Should You Be Screened for Colon Cancer?

Screening for colorectal cancer is an incredibly important when it comes to prevention, and catching cancer early. Colon cancers can begin as a polyp, or small growth, in the colon that causes no symptoms. Polyps can’t be felt, but they can be picked up by screening tests before they cause a problem. Typically, it takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to turn into full-blown cancer — this gives doctors time to remove polyps before they become an issue.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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