Katey Sagal Details Final Moments With John Ritter Before His Death

Over two decades after John Ritter‘s death, Katey Sagal knows there are no rules when it comes to navigating grief.

The actress, who portrayed Ritter’s onscreen wife Cate Hennessy in 8 Simples Rules, reflected on that September 2003 day when he suddenly got sick during production of the show’s second season.

“I was there, yes,” Sagal told Ted Danson on the Aug. 5 episode of his Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast. “We were doing press pretty much at 4 in the afternoon on that day and then by 10 o’clock that night, he left us.”

She added, “It was mind-blowing.”

The 72-year-old went on to share that she still feels Ritter’s presence in her life over two decades after he died from an aortic dissection at age 54.

“It’s interesting,” she explained. “I don’t know what your belief system is, but I feel him around a lot. I just feel him around. His energy and his love of laughter and life.”

“Even though I think he had his darker side too,” Sagal continued, “he just brought so much light that I just feel him around.”