ACTRESS and beauty pageant winner Alejandra Villafañe has tragically died aged 34 after a months-long battle with cancer.
Alejandra passed away on October 21, after announcing in May that she was undergoing cancer treatment and was taking a step back from her acting career.
Jam PressAlejandra stepped out of the spotlight in May to fight the disease[/caption]
Jam PressThe actress and paegant winner tragically lost her battle to cancer[/caption]
Tributes have poured in for the beloved actress
The influencer, who had 220,000 Instagram followers, was well-known in her home country of Colombia and beyond for starring in telenovelas such as La Nieta Elegida and Always a Witch.
Also a model and beauty pageant contestant, she won the Miss Earth Colombia competition in 2014 and placed in the top 16 of Miss Earth in the Philippines that same year.
She underwent chemotherapy and surgery after discovering that she had three malignant tumours in her breasts and ovaries.
Her treatment initially went well but she suffered setbacks that brought her back to hospital.
Her final appearances on screen came in the 2023 Prime Video series Manes and the 2023 comedy film El Yuppie y El Guiso.
The actor frequently shared updates with her followers on social media, including snaps of her side-by-side with her boyfriend, fellow actor Raúl Ocampo.
Villafañe posted her last heartbreaking message along with a video on October 12.
It read: “This video is a tribute to the family that is always there, to the friends who arrived and became family. Thanks to a love that is lifelong.”
Her partner Raul posted a heartbreaking series of photos after her passing, captioned: “I want you to know. Forever.”
Intimate photos of the two shaving their heads together and embracing only days before Villafane’s death accompanied the statement.
One fan commented: “Thank you for accompanying her until her last moment, thank you for being there, thank you for setting an example that true love exists!
“May God have her in his mercy, may she rest in peace and give you lots of strength to face this moment.”
Another added: “I’m with you in this moment of grief. It’s insurmountable, the only thing that encourages your heart is knowing you were there until the last day.
“It’s brave and such a fortune to enjoy such love.”
Following the news of her death, fellow beauty contestant, Miss Colombia 2011, Daniella Álvarez, commented: “You are now in the best life, the one we all wish to reach. We love you.”
She leaves behind family and her boyfriend Raúl Ocampo
Jam PressShe often shared updates during her treatment[/caption]
She discovered tumours in her breasts and ovaries