Judy Belushi Pisano, widow of legendary actor and comedian John Belushi, died at 73 after a long battle with cancer.
The news was confirmed on the official John Belushi Instagram account Friday.
Pisano was married to Belushi from 1973 until his death in 1982. They met in high school in Wheaton, Illinois. Pisano remained by Belushi's side throughout his career, supporting him through addiction and infidelity.
In the mid-1970s, Pisano was working as a radio producer in New York when Belushi rose to prominence with the Second City comedy troupe and joined the inaugural cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1975.
In addition to radio, Pisano also had small, uncredited parts in her husband’s two major films, "Animal House" (1978) and "The Blues Brothers" (1980). After Belushi died in 1982 from an overdose, she dedicated herself to preserving his legacy, working as a producer on various projects related to "The Blues Brothers" and participating in the 2020 Showtime documentary "John Belushi."
In 1990, she married Victor Pisano. They divorced in 2010.
"Today, our hearts are heavy as we say goodbye to our sweet Judy,"' the statement posted to the Belushi Instagram account read.
"Her unwavering dedication and creative genius alongside Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi gave birth to The Blues Brothers, a timeless testament to the power of music and laughter," the statement continued, further vowing to "continue her work, ensuring that John’s legacy and the Blues Brothers will never fade."
"There was no one like her. Judy made everyone feel loved," the statement read. "She was nonjudgmental, light, funny, and pure. You could be truly yourself around her, that alone was a gift."
Leading tributes was R.J. Cutler, writer-director and executive producer of the "Belushi" documentary, who described Pisano as "fearless."
"I couldn't have loved working with Judy more when we made 'Belushi.' She was smart, funny, wise, honest and a blast to spend time with," Cutler told Variety. "And talk about fearless. Collaborating with Judy was one of the great experiences of my career, as knowing her stimulated your mind, lifted your spirit and filled your heart. May her memory be a great blessing."