What was Danielle Spencer’s net worth? Child star’s career after What’s Happening explored as she passes away

Fans around the world are now mourning Danielle Spencer after her sudden death on Monday. According to Celerity Net Worth, Danielle Spencer had a net worth of $1 million. She died from complications related to gastric cancer and cardiac arrest while being admitted to Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia.

The news of her passing was confirmed by her former colleague, Hayward Nelson. Both of the actors appeared on the ABC show "What's Happening," which aired from 1976 to 1979. In his statement, he said:

"Brilliance! It comes in a great many forms. We all have them, and we all have this family’s — Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 – August 11, 2025). Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body. We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer."

More about Danielle Spencer's career, as beloved What's Happening actress passes away

Danielle Spencer was born on June 24, 1965, and lived in L.A. with her sibling and parents. At the age of eight, she rose to fame when she was cast as the young Deadra "Dee" Thomas in the ABC sitcom, "What's Happening." In a 2014 interview with Jet Magazine, Danielle Spencer talked about how she used her own life as a point of reference to develop her character. She said:

"I had never seen any young Black girl in that type of spotlight, so I didn’t have a reference point in the media as to how to deal with this opportunity. I was from the Bronx. What I did was use my own family as the reference on how to portray my character.”

After starring on the show, she appeared in several other projects, including the sequel to "What's Happening," where she reprised her role as Dee Thomas in "What's Happening Now," which aired from 1985 to 1988. According to the Richmond Times, before starring in the sequel, Danielle Spencer attended the University of California-Davis.

After the show ended, Daniella Spencer attended Tuskegee University, where she studied veterinary medicine and graduated in 1993. She later opened her practice in Los Angeles, where she worked for over two decades. In her interview with Jet Magazine, Spencer described her veterinary career as a "semi-retirement," emphasizing that the flexibility of the profession allowed her to return to acting whenever she chose. She said:

"While practicing veterinary medicine for the past couple of decades, I wasn’t able to just leave or come and go as I pleased because the animals were depending on me in certain cases. I dedicated that time to my profession to learn as much as I could. I suppose it was a semi-retirement. The great thing is that I can always change my mind so that I can pursue my other love again: acting."

In 2001, Spencer appeared in an episode of "Days of Our Lives" as Salem Place Vender, which interestingly was her last credited acting role. In an interview with Jet Magazine, Danielle Spencer explained why she decided to pursue veterinary medicine after her acting career. She added that one of her main reasons for choosing a career in the health sector was so she could better care for her own pets. She said:

"I love animals. I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was 5. I always had a cat or a dog at home while growing up. In 2013, I celebrated my 20th year of being a vet and I love it more now than I did when I first graduated. I work at several hospitals in southern California. Also, I wanted to become a vet so that I could save my own animals should they become ill. It’s rewarding to be able to diagnose and treat a pet’s illness so that the entire family can get back to normal."

Danielle Spencer also had her own clothing line, called The Dani Collection, which showcased her personal fashion choices and style. According to reports, Spencer had also published several books about her life in the years after her acting career. Speaking about her upcoming projects, the former child actress said:

"I have a women’s clothing line coming out called the Dani Collection: everything from everyday wear, casual wear, dress wear and intimates. And within the year, I’ll have a follow-up to my book Through the Fire and books on home care for pets."

According to the Richmond Times, Danielle Spencer was inducted into the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2014. Speaking about the experience in an interview with the outlet, she said:

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"The building is beautiful. I was speechless. It took me three or four days just to recover from all the excitement, all the pictures, all the music. It’s a lot. I still haven’t seen everything.”

According to US Weekly, Danielle Spencer was married twice. She first married Garry Fields in 1999 and they divorced in 2013. She later married David L. David, but not much is known about their marriage.

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