The Heartbreaking Death Of Comedian Candy Palmater

Comedy legend and a respected voice for Indigenous women, Candy Palmater, sadly passed away suddenly at her home in Canada on Christmas Day. She was 53 years old (via People). The news came as a shock to friends and family, but no one was hit harder than her wife and manager, Denise Tompkins.

Tompkins broke the news on Palmater's social media, writing, "Post by Denise. I have few words. Candy passed away today at home suddenly. I will post [more] information soon."

While the details surrounding Palmater's death are unknown, she was struggling with her health before her death. She was hospitalized on December 1 for 14 nights (per Entertainment Weekly). She was diagnosed with a condition called eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

During her time in the hospital, Palmater gave her fans updates. She seemed to be in good spirits and praised the help of the healthcare workers who were assisting her. Sadly, she would pass away at her home a few weeks following her release from the hospital.

If you're a comedy fan, you've likely tuned in to a show that Candy Palmater played a hand in. Palmater, best known for her role on "Trailer Park Boys," was a popular actress, comedian, and writer (via IMDB).

Born in Canada, Palmater was a revolutionary in the comedy world. Proud of both of her Indigenous and queer cultures, she provided a voice for those underrepresented communities. When she wasn't performing or writing, she was an active public speaker, covering a variety of topics, but her emphasis was on self-love (via The Candy Show).

While she is best known for her role as herself on "Trailer Park Boys," one of her proudest career moments was the five seasons of "The Candy Show," her award-winning variety show broadcast for APTN. Her impact on the comedy world was so special that Margaret Atwood named Palmater as one of the 14 international women who are shaping our future, as per Palmater's website.

Palmater will be greatly missed. She is remembered fondly by friends, including APTN CEO Monika Ille, who said, "I have to say that I fell in love with Candy as I saw her. She was so good, sharing her story. She was funny, bright. She looked good on camera. ... She had this drive. She had this passion. She had this larger-than-life personality and she wanted to make sure that people's voices were heard, especially Indigenous people" (via ABC 17 News).