Mary Kay Letourneau, the former sixth grade teacher from Seattle, Washington who made headlines back in 1997 when she had an affair with her 12 year-old student and went on to marry him, died on Tuesday from cancer. She was 58 years-old.

Fox News reported that Letourneau’s death was confirmed by her attorney David Gehrke, who said the cause was cancer and that she had been diagnosed nine months ago.

Letourneau was a 34 year-old married mother of four when she pleaded guilty in August of 1997 to two counts of second-degree rape of a student who was 13 at the time.

Gehrke told reporters that while she knew what she was doing was wrong, she took the risk because of her “hypomania,” which is a type of bipolar depression.

The student was later identified as Vili Fualaau, and she became pregnant with two daughters by him before he was 15, despite court orders that were put in place aimed at keeping them apart.

Letourneau ultimately served seven years in prison, and she married Fualaau upon her release, as he was an adult by then.

The Fualaau and Letourneau families released a brief statement saying that they are “deeply saddened” by the loss, and that Letourneau died “peacefully” after her cancer battle.

“Mary fought tirelessly against this terrible disease,” the family said.

“Mary, and all of us, found great strength in having our immediate and extended family members together to join her in this arduous struggle. We did our very best to care for Mary and one another as we kept her close and stayed close together.”

They went on to thank medical workers who helped to care for Letourneau during her fight against cancer.

“We are endlessly grateful for the care and kindness received from the amazing professionals involved in Mary’s care,” their statement read.

“Likewise, the kindness and compassion of friends and others who learned of her condition along the way proved an uplifting gift to us all.”

“It is in that spirit that we ask for privacy and respect for our desire to focus on the road ahead for all of us who make up Mary’s collective family,” they continued.

“We ask that our boundaries and need for privacy be honored with continued kindness and understanding.”

They concluded by pledging to “celebrate and honor the wishes of our wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, beloved family member and loyal friend and concentrate on caring for one another.”

A source close to Letourneau told People magazine that her health went downhill fast over the past few months.

“It was a very sad ending,” the insider said.

This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com and is used by permission.

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