‘DWTS’ Alum Reveals Special Way She Honored Beloved ‘70s Star

Kim Fields honored a longtime friend and fellow former child star in a special way.

On Aug. 21, the actress and “Dancing with the Stars” Season 22 alum posted to Instagram after attending a celebration of life for late actress Danielle Spencer.  The “What’s Happening!!” star died on August 11 at age 60, her co-star Haywood Nelson announced on social media.

In a video clip shared with fans, Fields, 56, was seen standing by a digital billboard with a photo of Spencer and her name on it and the years “1965 to 2025.”

Fields wore bright pink heels as she blew a kiss and waved goodbye to her friend.

Kim Fields Gave Danielle Spencer’s Mom a Special Gift

In the caption of her post, Fields, 56, revealed that her friendship with Spencer dated back to their childhoods in the 1970s. The two friends went on to star in “The Facts of Life” and “What’s Happening!!,” respectively. Spencer played Dee Thomas on the ABC sitcom from 1976 to 1979 and reprised the role on the “What’s Happening Now!!” spinoff series in the 1980s.

Fields captioned the video to reveal that she had the honor of speaking at Spencer’s celebration of life. She also shared that she presented Spencer’s mother, Cheryl, with a special gift.

“Our intersecting began pre everything,” Fields wrote of her friendship with Spencer. “New York days. Our parents were in acting school together. Barbie pink heels just for her, in honor of our epic Barbie playdates. She had the most incredible collection (dolls and ALL the Barbie toys). I added to her collection today with a black veterinarian Barbie, presenting it to her mom.🩷 Dani left acting and became a successful veterinarian. DOCTOR Danielle Spencer 🙌🏽.”

Fields also thanked fans for their “continued support, love and respect.”

According to her official website, after leaving the acting world, Spencer fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. In 1993, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University Veterinary School in Alabama.

Kim Fields Suffered the Loss of Another Close Friend in July 2025

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It has been a very difficult summer for Fields. In July 2025, she lost close friend Malcolm Jamal-Warner. The beloved “Cosby Show” actor died from an accidental drowning on July 20 while in Costa Rica. Warner was just 54 years old when he died.

Nearly a month later, Fields publicly addressed Warner’s death for the first time. In a poignant post on Instagram, she recalled 44 years of friendship with the late actor and admitted that it took her an hour to write the post.

Fields hosts weekly “Refresh RESET” sessions on Instagram Live where she guides fans on how to “reset” their week.