couldn't have had more love for her large, blended family — especially for her son, Bruce Somers. Jr.

The actress died on Oct. 15, 2023, with her son by her side. According to a statement from Suzanne's longtime publicist R. Couri Hay, the and "was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family."

Suzanne's death came just one day before her 77th birthday on Oct. 16. She had previously told PEOPLE that she which included her son Bruce, his wife and children.

Following his mother's passing, in a lengthy Instagram post, where he called the late actress "the best mother any son could ever dream of.

" He added, "Growing up, it was us against the world. And then she took the world by storm. It’s always too soon, no matter how prepared we may be. But she will live through me as she taught me to be kind, to be present, to love and be loved, to care, to express, and to always speak from the heart."

The actress welcomed Bruce in 1965 with her then-husband Bruce Somers Sr. At the time, Suzanne was 19 years old. She and the elder Bruce split just a few years later, and the actress went on to marry husband in 1977. (She also became a stepmother to Hamel's kids, Leslie and Stephen, from a previous relationship.

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Over the years, Bruce never shied away from praising his mother on Instagram, whether it be a touching birthday tribute or a sentimental Mother's Day post. The CEO often referred to Suzanne as a "warrior" for enduring obstacles in her life, including her , and praised her for the unconditional love she gave him.

" and secure even when the world around you wasn’t. I am one of the lucky ones to be so loved," he wrote in May 2021.

Here's everything to know about Suzanne Somers' son Bruce and their undeniable mother-son bond.

He was born in 1965

Bruce was born on Nov. 8, 1965, when Suzanne was 19.

Suzanne often celebrated her son on his birthday each year with touching Instagram posts. In 2019, she called Bruce "the greatest person on the entire planet" and said it was a .

Most recently, in 2022, she shared a and wrote, "You are a living light and I am so proud to be your mother. Enjoy this day and I look forward to many, many more birthdays."

He studied film at UCLA

After attending The Thatcher School in California, he stayed close to home for college and studied at the University of California, Berkley.

After receiving his BFA in dramatic arts from the university in 1988, he went on to earn an MFA in film from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1991, per his .

He is a founder and CEO

Though Bruce didn't follow in his mother's footsteps in front of the camera, he has enjoyed a long career in media since his college days. After serving as an executive producer at Lost Kitty Productions in the early '90s, he went on to own multiple businesses, including Somers & Somers Productions and Quigley-Simpson, a direct response media company, according to his LinkedIn.

He has also been the owner and Chief Storyteller of Sincbox Media since 1999, where he has worked with clients such as Proctor & Gamble, Visa and Microsoft.

He has two stepsiblings

When Suzanne married Hamel in 1977, Bruce gained two siblings: Leslie and Stephen from Hamel's previous relationship.

He is a husband and father

Bruce has been married to his wife, chef and cookbook author Caroline Somers, since 1991.

Together, they share two daughters, Camelia and Violet.

The CEO occasionally shares a glimpse of his family's life on social media, from Violet's graduation in 2021 to Camelia's 28th birthday in 2023.

For his 29th wedding anniversary to Caroline on Sept. 7, 2020, Bruce shared a along with a heartfelt caption: "As a 25 year old naïve idealist, I did make one ideal choice, and that was getting married to Caroline. 29 years later, it’s still the best decision I’ve ever made and feel fortunate every day that she chose me."

Suzanne also , once joking to PEOPLE in 2017, "You're a parent with none of the responsibility of being a parent.

" The star, who has a total of six grandchildren, added, "You get to fall in love all over again.”

Suzanne once called him her "Gadget Guy"

On a 2012 episode of Suzanne's talk show, , she revealed that her son was her go-to tech support person and even dubbed him "The Gadget Guy."

After she introduced Bruce as a guest to the audience, she said that her son has always been "adept" at this topic, adding, "I remember when you were a kid, you could figure out the bus route. You just have a mind that works that way."

Bruce told his mother, "I'm always looking for new ways to do things so that I can save time."

During the segment, Bruce taught his mother how to share a post on Instagram — and also snuck in a few compliments, calling Suzanne the "hippest grandmother."