Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond has died, Variety confirmed. He was 44 and his cause of death was carcinoma. He was diagnosed just three weeks ago and hospitalized quickly, though his representatives said that cancer had spread through his body.

"In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution," a statement reads. "Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful."

In addition to starring in Saved by the Bell, Diamond went on to appear in Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.

After the news broke, Diamond's Saved by the Bell co-stars offered tributes to their friend.

"Dustin, you will be missed my man," Mario Lopez wrote in a tweet. "The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted. Prayers for your family will continue on…"

Tiffani Thiessen also posted a message, writing, "Life is extremely fragile and it's something we should never take for granted. God speed Dustin."

Mark-Paul Gosselaar also posted his condolences. "Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dustin Diamond, a true comedic genius. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Looking back at our time working together, I will miss those raw, brilliant sparks that only he was able to produce. A pie in your face, my comrade," he wrote.

When news of Diamond's diagnosis made headlines, Thiessen and Lopez posted messages on their respective social media accounts.

Thiessen wrote "thinking of you Dustin" on a now-expired Instagram Story, according to Newsweek.

On Twitter, Lopez posted a pair of photos and wrote, "I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he'll overcome this. Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery."

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