Television personality and former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis has passed away at the age of 52 following a private and courageous battle with breast cancer. Known for her warmth, intellect, and trailblazing presence in media, Lewis died last week after living with the disease since 2020.
Her close friend, CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam, shared an emotional tribute during a CNN interview, revealing the final text message Ananda sent her before her passing. In the message, Lewis expressed acceptance, love, and deep spiritual peace as her condition began to worsen.
“This is part of the text she sent me,” Elam said during the tearful conversation. ‘You know my feelings on this. We all go. These bodies are on loan and must be returned. We come in love and choose to leave it with love as well.”
Elam, visibly emotional, continued by reading the final line from Ananda: “I love you my wonderful lifelong bestie of besties.”
Ananda Lewis first rose to national prominence in the late 1990s as a host on MTV, where she became a defining voice of a generation, covering youth culture, music, and social issues with confidence and compassion. She later hosted The Ananda Lewis Show, worked as a correspondent for The Insider, and became an outspoken advocate for health and wellness, especially in communities of color.
In 2020, Lewis publicly revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, explaining that she had delayed getting mammograms out of fear and mistrust of medical procedures—something she later urged other women not to repeat.
Her passing marks the loss of a respected voice, a loyal friend, and a woman who inspired countless viewers by simply being herself—unapologetic, authentic, and deeply human.
Ananda Lewis is remembered not only for her career in front of the camera, but also for the love and light she shared behind the scenes—with her family, friends, and those lucky enough to know her.