MyFoxLA
written by Jeffrey Thomas DeSocio, Digital News Editor / Producer
Monday April 8, 2013
Legendary Disney Mouseketeer Annette Funicello died on Monday from complications due to Multiple Sclerosis, a disease she battled for over 25 years. She was 70 years old.
Disney confirmed news of Funicello's death to Fox News.
Commenting on her passing, Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said, "Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mousketeer, and a true Disney Legend. She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney's brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent. Annette was well known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life."
Discovered by Walt Disney himself, Funicello rose to fame at the age of 12 as one of the stars of the original "Mickey Mouse Club," a show that later produced stars such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.
Funicello soon became a popular singer in her teenage years, crooning hits like "Pineapple Princess."
In her time, Funicello was a sex symbol, garnering scores of young teen fans. She later slipped into a bikini to star in the "Beach Party" films with Frankie Avalon.
In 1992, Funicello announced she was suffering from MS, a secret she had kept for many years. The following year she opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders.
The star married her first husband, Jack Gilardi in 1965, and they had three children together. They split up in 1981, and she later married Glen Holt, a horse trainer.
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