Danielle Spencer, the beloved child star of the 1970s sitcom What’s Happening!!, passed away at age 60 on August 11, 2025, following a long battle with cancer. Best known for her iconic role as Dee Thomas—the spirited, witty younger sister whose one-liners became a staple of the show—Spencer rose to prominence at just 11 years old. Her portrayal helped cement the series as one of the earliest American network shows to focus on the lives of Black teenagers. Airing from 1976 to 1979, the series gained widespread popularity and spawned a sequel, What’s Happening Now!!, in which Spencer reprised her role during college breaks.

Born in Trenton, New Jersey, on June 24, 1965, Danielle Louise Spencer was raised in the Bronx by her mother, Cheryl Pelt, and later her stepfather Tim Pelt, whom she considered her father. Her entry into acting began around age eight, and by her teenage years, she had become a household name on national television. However, her personal life was marked by tragedy; in 1977, while filming the sitcom’s second season, she and her stepfather were involved in a catastrophic car accident that claimed his life and left Spencer in a coma for three weeks. Despite this immense setback, she underwent a lengthy recovery and returned both to acting and later to her academic pursuits.

After What’s Happening!! ended, Spencer directed her focus away from Hollywood, ultimately choosing to follow her stepfather’s encouragement to pursue medicine. She attended the University of California-Davis, became a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and later graduated from Tuskegee University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. In 1996, Spencer became a veterinarian, dedicating nearly three decades of her life to animal care, mostly in the Richmond, Virginia, area. Her passion for animals and science was evident in interviews, where she described a longstanding fascination with chemistry and biology.

Spencer’s adult life was defined as much by her resilience as by her professional success. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, she underwent a double mastectomy and endured multiple health challenges, including complications from her earlier car accident that led to additional surgeries and a protracted recovery. Throughout her disease, her warmth, sense of humor, and dedication to service shined through, earning her the title “heroine” among peers and fans alike. Her legacy endures both in television history and in the countless lives she touched, from viewers to the animals under her care.