Joanie

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If you were a kid born in the 1960's your favorite television show in your young life was most likely Happy Days.

Fonzie was the cool guy that you wanted to be...

...and you most likely had a little crush on Joanie.

Yet it was almost like she was everyone's little sister.

After Happy Days Joanie hooked up with Chachi and we all know that Scott Baio went a little off the wall.

Erin Moran, the actress who played Joanie didn't have much luck either. She kind of disappeared from television and then came the horror stories.

She was homeless, strung out and bitter.

There was talk of alcohol and drug abuse.

She sued for money from those happier days, and she grew alienated from the rest of the cast.

Henry Winkler and Ron Howard made it big time.

How could they let Moran suffer?

She was homeless! They couldn't help her out?

I head Winkler (who might be the nicest guy in show biz) talk about the heartbreak of her life.

They tried to help her...

...they offered her the chance to help herself.

Didn't happen.

Erin Moran was found dead on Saturday afternoon at the age of 56.

Too soon.

She evidently never found peace, but it didn't say what happened to her.

As I thought about some of those episodes, I considered how fleeting fame seems to be. She was the sweetheart on the biggest show in the country at a time when you could only actually see shows on just a few channels.

Millions of people knew her...

...and it didn't her absolutely no good in battling through the rough times.

"Oh Erin," Henry Winkler posted in a tweet. "I hope you find the peace you couldn't find here."

Shortcake.

Seems like yesterday when she was everyone's little sister.

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