Gil Gerard, best known for his iconic role as Buck Rogers, has died at the age of 82. His wife, Janet, confirmed the news in a heartfelt Facebook post, revealing that the actor had been battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Before his passing, Gerard also prepared a personal message to be shared after his death.Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1943, Gil Gerard became a household name as the lead in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, a sci-fi franchise that began as a feature film in 1979 and later expanded into a television series that aired on NBC from 1979 to 1981.

Janet shared that Gerard passed away early Tuesday morning, December 16, after a brief but intense illness.“Early this morning Gil – my soulmate – lost his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer,” she wrote. “From the moment we knew something was wrong to his death this morning was only days. No matter how many years I got to spend with him it would have ever been enough. Hold the ones you have tightly and love them fiercely.”