Luke Perry’s death was confirmed on March 4th, 2019, at the age of 52 from a massive stroke.

Luke Perry (not to be confused with Matthew Perry – who was also on an episode of 90210) was known as “Dylan McKay:” the brooding bad boy with a sensitive soul. Luke Perry’s Dylan was known for the infamous love triangle that shook fans and Shannen Doherty’s “Brenda” and Jennie Garth’s “Kelly.”

When the news of Luke Perry’s death was confirmed: I believe I received just about as many text messages, direct messages and calls on this day as on my birthday or when I let people know my boyfriend and I broke up.

If you know me, you’ll know why all these people reached out: I am a die hard 90210 fan! So it’s only fitting I received so many people reaching out.

As you likely know, Luke Perry garnered his fame on the 90’s hit show: Beverly Hills, 90210 and was “mad bad and dangerous to know” as he once said about himself.

He wooed Brenda by taking a shower in the bathroom she shared with her brother Brandon and coyly asker her: “you into videotape?” (Ahhh, the 90’s.)

Dylan was an indelible character to 90210 as he played one of the leading roles and also dated the two leading ladies on the show: Brenda and Kelly. He started the love triangle that has gone down in infamy and single handedly defined a generation!

His character was a loner — his mother was paid off by his white collar criminal father and he lived out of fancy hotels many times on the show. Although, his Los Angeles craftsman house (located in Altadena – not far from the fictional Walsh House) later became a staple part of the show throughout his tenure.

He drove a Porsche while Steve drove a Corvette: which provided constant fodder for their characters.

Brandon was his best friend (as he pointedly told him the episode before he got married) and Brenda his first love. The Walshes were a surrogate family for Dylan and even saved him a few times from complete emotional and physical wreckage. (Let’s be honest Cindy always had a soft spot for Dylan.)

These were some of my favorite memories of Luke Perry as Dylan McKay but I actually have a personal story to share with the actor himself.

This is how I met Luke Perry from 90210.

As a longtime fan, a friend of mine invited me to an US Weekly press junket in January 2012.

I was living in NYC at the time and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to meet Dylan McKay in the flesh!

Albeit much older and not as dashing…it was still Dylan!

The picture below shows a photo of a Dylan pillow (I think my parents got me a long time ago — it literally looks like it’s from 1991) that I brought with me to the interview.

When I had the opportunity to ask a question: I boldly raised my hand and showed the room the pillow and said to Luke: “I’ve been sleeping with you all these years, you just didn’t know it!” He got a laugh out of that.

I later had him sign the pillow and he even took a photo with me and was sweet and very affectionate.

I also asked the question everyone wanted to hear: how did the love triangle heard ’round the world get written into the script?!?! His answer was surprising: he actually said it was his idea! He and Shannen Doherty weren’t getting along so well on set and he suggested to the producers (Chuck Rosin was the Executive Producer at the time) and writers that Dylan and Kelly start to date.

(He and Jennie Garth had a better off screen relationship and as it has come to light – they even had crushes on each other.)

This was also during the time that Shannen was getting heat from the entire cast about her behavior on and off set. So it made a lot of sense.

It was a little heartbreaking to hear that Luke Perry himself didn’t want Dylan and Brenda to live on forever in TV land but it was actually a really satisfying answer.

Even though Luke Perry is gone much too soon — he will live eternally as Dylan McKay (which you can watch on Hulu and Pluto except for MANY missing episodes due to music costs and rights! UGH!).

I have a tendency to conflate actors with their characters and in this case it seems almost apropos that Luke/Dylan would be the first of the “gang” to go — his character was eternally searching, lonely and at times self destructive.

Dylan was always searching for a greater meaning to life. I hope Luke and Dylan have found it. RIP Luke Perry.