Andrea Andrade a former California beauty queen known for her resilience and grace, has died at the age of 35 nearly nine years after being diagnosed with colon cancer. Andrade passed away on January 16 far outliving the prognosis she received in 2017 when doctors told her she had six months to two years to live after being diagnosed with stage three colon cancer.
Rather than allowing the diagnosis to define her Andrade chose to live boldly. She continued pursuing her lifelong passion for beauty pageants winning five major titles including Miss West Coast Miss Nuestra Bellisa USA Miss Fresno County Miss Regional West, and Miss California Congeniality.She also competed for the Miss California crown often appearing on stage while undergoing chemotherapy and wearing a visible treatment port.
In a 2017 interview with Inside Edition Andrade said her illness fueled her urgency to chase her dreams. Her husband, Chris Wilson, later shared that she believed it was her purpose to inspire others facing serious illness and to show that life could still be meaningful after a diagnosis.
Wilson honored Andrade with an emotional Instagram tribute, calling her his eternal love and expressing faith they would be reunited. The couple shared eight years together and had been married for two.
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