NEW YORK (AP) – The courage that a teenage Patty Duke portrayed on-screen as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker” was breathtaking and Oscar-winning.
Duke’s own gritty struggle against bipolar disorder was equally admired. She opened up about her condition at a time when such candor was unusual and she became an activist for mental health causes.
The actress, who died Tuesday at age 69, was “a warrior,” said her son, actor Sean Astin. “You watch this 4-foot-10, tiny imp of a lady who’s more powerful than the greatest military leaders in history.”
“We’re so grateful to her for living a life that generates that amount of compassion and feeling in others,” Astin told The Associated Press in reflecting on the outpouring of sentiment from fans at the news of her death.
Colleagues responded with equal passion.