Dustin Diamond‘s close friend, Dan Block, is speaking out after the actor’s death and revealing how even towards the end of his life, Diamond kept his biting sense of humor.
Block spoke to Fox News about his bond with Diamond and what the “Saved by the Bell” star’s final wishes were.
“Yes, being cremated was one of his final wishes,” Block revealed. “He didn’t want to be messed in the afterlife. He didn’t want to have a gravestone. He did not want to have a ceremony, he didn’t want to have a memorial. He just wanted to leave in peace.”
“He used to say ‘trust the dust.’ It’s kind of funny because now he’s dust. He had a wicked warped sense of humor,” Block added.
‘SAVED BY THE BELL’ STAR DUSTIN DIAMOND DEAD AT 44 AFTER BATTLE WITH STAGE 4 CANCER
According to TMZ, his ashes will be given to his father and girlfriend.
Block said Diamond was still sending him jokes even when close to the end of his life.
“[Diamond] was always trying to make people laugh. He was a good guy. He made some mistakes but what was so admiring, he just wanted to be normal,” Block described.
Dustin Diamond died on Monday after being diagnosed with stage four small-cell carcinoma cancer.
(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
Block, the president of Insurance King, said the actor used to avoid going to the doctor because he didn’t want fans to get pictures of him. It almost led to him failing to learn he had MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) a couple of years ago.
“[Diamond] lived a life of public scrutiny. He did not go to the doctor a couple of years ago because he didn’t want to be seen at the doctor,” Block recalled. “He was so worried about someone getting a picture. Two years ago I took him to the hospital and it ended up being MRSA. He said going to the doctor saved his life.
“He had this huge sore on his face,” Block continued. “It started out as a little one. He kept putting makeup on it. He kept saying, ‘No I’ll be alright.’ It ended up being a skin-eating disease. He called me and he said, ‘I don’t feel so good.’ He didn’t send me a picture because he didn’t want anything to get out. I went straight to his house and I grabbed him and took him to a hospital.”
‘SAVED BY THE BELL’ STAR DUSTIN DIAMOND DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
Diamond died on Monday at age 44, not long after being diagnosed with stage four small-cell carcinoma cancer.
Dustin Diamond was known best for playing Screech Powers on ‘Saved by the Bell.’
(Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
The actor called Block when he had a tumor last year before he learned it was cancer. “He called me and told me he was sick with this tumor. When I asked if it was as bad as MRSA he said ‘it’s worse-a’ with a laugh. He was always cracking jokes,” Block said. “It was this huge tumor. He had it for a while and it was small but then it blew up. He contacted me and when he told me he was going to have months to live, he told me how scared he was.”
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On Monday, Diamond’s agent Roger Paul said in a statement to Fox News, “He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago. In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution.
“Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful,” Paul said.
