The Last Paparazzi Photo Of Shannen Doherty Before Her Death Will Make Your Heart Ache

In a final paparazzi photo, Shannen Doherty appeared happy and was enjoying life with friends. Tragically, on July 13, just under a month after the picture was taken, Doherty died at age 53, following her 2015 breast cancer diagnosis. And seeing her so content with her nearest and dearest so close to her passing is heartachingly bittersweet.

The candid image was taken on June 16 while Doherty was with real estate agent Chris Cortazzo in Malibu, California. Wearing a black hat, she flashed a slight smile as Cortazzo sweetly placed his arm around her shoulders. The two seemed to be with a female friend during their casual evening out. Doherty carried a large brown paper bag with both hands, which may have contained leftovers, as the group had eaten at Kristy's Malibu.

The restaurant was a favorite of the late "Charmed" star. She dined there several times and even celebrated Easter at the eatery in 2024. Doherty tagged the restaurant in a sweet group photo on Instagram and wrote, "Happy Easter from our nomadic family." Daily Mail shared candid photos of Doherty at Kristy's with her mom, Rosa, four months before that on January 1. The late actor also tagged the restaurant in an October 2023 Instagram post. "Much needed girls night," she captioned the image, which showed her with two girlfriends.

On the same day that the paparazzi photo of Chris Cortazzo and Shannen Doherty circulated online, Cortazzo took to Instagram to pay tribute to his late friend. His video montage showed photos of the two as they spent time with family members, enjoyed meals out, and even dressed up for a costume party. "My beloved friend and heart. What memories and laughter we have shared through this journey," he wrote on July 14. "You were my protector, my best friend and my divine wife. My heart is shattered. I love you forever my sweet dear friend." Cortazzo signed off the heartfelt message, "Your Christopher."

Plenty of fans and friends shared their condolences in the comments, including model and former "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Yolanda Hadid. "Your angel in heaven now," she wrote, alongside a heartbroken emoji. "Sending much love and light to get through this most difficult time." Former talk show host Ricki Lake also paid tribute. "I am so very sorry for your loss," she commented, alongside the same heartbroken emoji and a full red heart. Lauren Sanchez, Camille Meyer (formerly Grammer), and Alanis Morissette were also amongst the famous faces who sent messages of support via the comments section.

Chris Cortazzo and Shannen Doherty were clearly close friends and regularly showed their friendship on social media. Cortazzo even appeared on Doherty's "Let's Be Clear" podcast in February and, in a snippet posted to his Instagram, he spoke candidly about being by Doherty's side amid her cancer treatments. He recalled noticing how scared his friend was before brain surgery, which she had in 2023 to remove a tumor.

Cortazzo and Doherty's mom accompanied her to the hospital, and he opened up about a tough moment he witnessed between the mom and daughter. "Watching you look into each other's eyes, literally broke my heart," he said in the podcast clip. Cortazzo captioned the upload, "What a journey and what an amazing spirit and inspiration for me and for so many others. True love."

The friends' podcast discussion came after Doherty shared a selfie with Cortazzo on her Instagram in January 2024. She rested her head on her close friend's shoulder as he smiled. "Date night and really really good lighting," she captioned the picture. Just a few months later, Doherty would post her devastating final Instagram upload.