Jackie Collins "always put other people" first.
Jackie Collins
The late novelist's sister Dame Joan Collins insists her sibling - who passed away in September this year after a secret battle with breast cancer - was always more concerned about others than herself and didn't want to tell people about her diagnosis as she didn't want to "saddle" those closest to her with grief.
Joan said: "She always put other people, particularly her family, ahead of herself, and she had more concern for others than she did for herself, even to the end. She tried to keep her illness to herself for many years to avoid saddling people she cared for with grief. Anyone who knew Jackie would tell you how courageous and selfless she was.
"This was one of the reasons for her great success, both in her personal and professional life, and why she was loved and admired by so many people. She was a strong, independent, loyal, caring, maternal, fun-loving, witty, generous woman."
The 82-year-old actress also spoke of the "massive hole in [her] heart" since Jackie passed.
She added to the Observer newspaper's New Review supplement: "The loss of Jackie has caused a massive hole in my heart. Like the Grand Canyon, I can't ignore it, walk around it or get over it. I must simply face its empty majesty and it will remind me of my beautiful, brave and ballsy sister."
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