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The reality TV community has said goodbye to one of its own.
Cristina Sanz—who appeared on all four seasons of the A&E show Born This Way about the lives of seven individuals living with Down syndrome—died July 6, according to her family. She was 36.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our daughter, Cristina, passed away Monday morning,” her family wrote on Instagram July 8. “She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at her Day Program and was rushed to the hospital. Despite the doctors' best efforts to stabilize her heart, she did not survive.”
Though Sanz’s family described her death as “unexpected” and “a total shock,” they said they were “able to be by her side at the end.”
“We will forever treasure the gift of her life,” the family’s statement concluded. “We will all carry in our hearts the wonderful ‘Cristina moments’ that she gave us.”
In the wake of Sanz’s death, A&E also shared their condolences.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Cristina Sanz, who touched the hearts of many through her time on Born This Way,” a spokesperson for the network told Entertainment Weekly in a July 8 statement. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.”
During Sanz’s time on Born This Way, which ran from 2015 to 2019, she married her then-husband Angel Callahan and documented their relationship and daily life. (Sanz and Callahan ultimately split in 2021, per TMZ.)
Cristina Sanz/Instagram
She also crossed paths with many stars, including when she met Alicia Keys on the set of The Voice and Jamie Lee Curtis at the 2016 Emmys, where Born This Way won Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
So, when Curtis won an Oscar in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Sanz was beyond thrilled.
“Ahhhhhh so so happy for Jamie,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “When we won our Emmy she was there and she was the first person to stand up and give us and standing ovation. You WON now, go girl!!!! So happy for you. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!”
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