Rose Siggins, the actress who played Legless Suzi on FX’s American Horror Story: Freak Show, died Saturday morning in Denver, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. She was 43.
Siggins‘ manager, James Mullen, told THR of Siggins‘ passing and also made an announcement early Saturday on a Go Fund Me page that has been set up for the actress’ children. “I’m sad to report that Rose has passed away this morning around 7:30 a.m. All funds raised will now be directed to final expenses and the continuing support of her children,” he wrote.
The post continued: “I suppose Elsa Mars said it best: ‘The death of a beloved monster is always a sorrow, but never a surprise. If oddly-formed organs or a random physical anomaly doesn’t claim them, then it is at the sheer density of their blaze. A carny’s life burns and brighter than most. It is bound to extinguish sooner.'”
In a statement released Dec. 18, Siggins‘ rep said the actress was admitted to the hospital Dec. 7 for surgery to remove problematic kidney stones. Following her surgery, she developed a severe fever as a result of a secondary infection.
FX Networks and AHS producers issued the following statement to THR about the death of the Freak Show co-star: “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Rose Siggins. She was beloved by everyone in the AHS family. She was a kind person, a loving mother and a very talented actor. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this time.”
The actress, who did not have legs, appeared as herself on multiple programs, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Extraordinary People, before her season on Ryan Murphy’s AHS as Legless Suzi. According to her IMDb page, Siggins was also filming documentary Schlitzie: One of Us, slated for release in 2016.
Fans were made aware of Siggins declining health on Friday through a post on the Rose Siggins Trust page. Mullen told fans: “Rose Siggins is why we’re here — an infinitely strong woman who isn’t strong enough this time. She, Luke and Shelby need our help through this tough time. Rose is currently in the hospital and the outlook on her current health is grim. All funds raised will be used for the care of her children Luke and Shelby now. Once a path for care is set it will then be used for recovery, medical and any other related expenses.”
Siggins is survived by her children Luke and Shelby.
2:58 p.m., Dec. 12: Updated with statement from FX Networks.
3:29 p.m., Dec. 18: Updated with information about the status of her health prior to surgery.
