Ast 's lifelong battle with diabetes worsened in the last decade of her life , resulting in the amputation of some toes . She died on October 3 , 2001 at her home in West Hollywood , California . Her death came three weeks after the death of her longtime friend Berry Berenson , who was killed in the September 11 attacks . Ast 's neighbors noticed that the newspapers were piling up outside her door and that she had n't been out to walk her dogs in a few days . Concerned , they called a friend of Ast 's , who found her dead on her bed . It was reported that she had died of natural causes
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Pat Ast