Farrah Fawcett's death was expected. She had been battling cancer for years and news of her pending death was noted in the tabloids for months. It was still sad to hear that she lost her battle, especially in light of Ryan O'Neal's proposal to remarry her. Yes, I'm a sucker for fairy tale endings.

For many people, she will be remembered as a sex symbol or even a trend setter with her perfectly feathered hair, that I could never duplicate. For me, I'll remember her as a woman who took the hand she was dealt - fame for her beauty - and tried to do good with it.

"The Burning Bed" was a pivotal in addressing domestic violence in the USA. "A Cry for Help" came out a few years later and reinforced our need to examine how we see violence in the home. it also signaled what some call a new genre of movies that dealt with real life problems, especially women in peril. Some might even say helping to launch TV channels like Lifetime.

Farrah certainly left her mark on this world and I think in a very positive manner. She brought awareness to issues that just weren't talked about 20 years ago. Even up to her death, she tried to raise awareness by letting us peek into her final days.

[Image: Shearer/WireImage via Daily News]