Luke Perry's fiancée speaks out for the first time following his death

Actor Luke Perry, best known for playing brooding heart-throb Dylan McKay on 90210 has sadly passed away. He died on March 4, at age 52, as a result of a stroke which he suffered at his home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. The actor was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition but was unable to recover.

Perry's many fans have been left to grieve his loss in the wake of the announcement, and tributes and outpourings of commiseration have flooded social media. However, now the actor's fiancée Wendy Madison Bauer, with whom he was in a relationship for roughly 12 years, has spoken out for the first time about the effect that her partner's death has had on her.

In a recent interview with People magazine, Bauer stated: "I want to express my gratitude to everyone for the outpouring of love and support. The countless, heartwarming stories of Luke’s generosity and kindness have been a great source of solace during this difficult time. The past 11½ years with Luke were the happiest years of my life, and I am grateful to have had that time with him. I also want to thank his children, family, and friends for their love and support. We have found comfort in one another and in the knowledge that our lives were touched by an extraordinary man. He will be dearly missed."

Last week, Luke's daughter Sophie also took to Instagram to thank fans for their support, writing: "A lot has happened in this past week for me. Everything is happening so fast. I made it back from Malawi just in time to be here with my family, and in the past 24 hours, I have received an overwhelming amount of love and support."

She added: "I cannot individually respond to the hundreds of beautiful and heartfelt messages. But I see them and appreciate you all for sending positivity to my family and I. I’m not really sure what to say or do in this situation, it’s something you aren’t ever given a lesson on how to handle, especially when it’s all happening in the public eye. So bear with me and know that I am grateful for all the love. Just, being grateful quietly."

Perry had recently made a welcome return to television acting, playing the part of Archie Andrews' father Fred Andrews in  Riverdale. As a result of the actor's death, Riverdale has been forced to shut down production of the new series. He was also due to portray the character of Scott Lancer in the upcoming Tarantino movie "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," which will examine the effect of the Manson Family murders on Hollywood in the late 60s.