Famous actor and comedian Norm Macdonald passed away at just the age of 61 after a long and private battle with cancer.

Norm Macdonald was a brilliant comedian and became super well known for his role on the “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live. He appeared on the show as a cast member from 1993-1998. He was scheduled to appear at the New York Comedy Festival in November as part of the lineup.

Via deadline.com, Macdonald’s close friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, said he had been battling cancer for nearly a decade. She was by his side when he passed away on Tuesday.

“He was most proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra said. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”

Norm Macdonald kept his diagnosis as private as possible and many didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes. That’s just who he was and how he preferred it to be.

Deadline.com noted his path following his departure from SNL.

After leaving SNL in 1998, Macdonald starred in his own comedy series, The Norm Show, from 1999-2001. He also did a one-season talk show for Netflix, Norm Macdonald Has a Show, in 2018. He also earned a CableACE Award nomination as part of the writing team for the 1992 variety special Free to Laugh: A Comedy and Music Special for Amnesty International.

Rest in peace to a legend.