'Saturday Night Live' alumnus Norm Macdonald dies at 61 after private nine-year cancer battle

Norm Macdonald died Tuesday at 61 years old after a nine-year battle with cancer that he purposefully kept a secret, Deadline reported.

People also confirmed the sad news.

"Macdonald’s death was announced to Deadline by his management firm Brillstein Entertainment," Greg Evans wrote for Deadline. "The comedian’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, who was with him when died, said Macdonald had been battling cancer for nearly a decade but was determined to keep his health struggles private, away from family, friends and fans."

"He was most proud of his comedy," Hoekstra told the outlet. "He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that 'a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.' He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly."

Evidence of how much Macdonald will be missed is all over Twitter: