According to her sister Lakshmi, former MTV anchor Ananda Lewis passed away at the age of 52.
Just yesterday (June 11), she posted a straightforward remembrance of her loved one on Facebook.
Lakshmi announced: “She’s free, and in His heavenly arms.”
She also included the following emojis of shattered hearts: “Lord, rest her soul.”
In 1997, Lewis was initially employed by MTV as a VJ. She hosted Hot Zone and Total Request Live there before departing in 2001 to present The Ananda Lewis Show, her own talk show.
After her parents divorced and she and her sister moved in with their mother to their grandmother’s house, Lewis told Teen People in 1999 that she had a challenging childhood.
She later went to an arts high school, and after graduation, she hosted BET’s Teen Summit, where she had an interview with Hillary Clinton, who was first lady at the time.
“That experience got me noticed at MTV and in August of 1997, I moved to New York and started working there,” she told the outlet.
Lewis later rose to prominence as one of MTV’s most well-liked presenters.
Unfortunately, the former host’s 2020 Instagram post revealing that she had stage III breast cancer was the first clue that anyone had that she was unwell.
She clarified that she hadn’t been getting routine mammograms because she was terrified of radiation.
However, when she acknowledged not following medical advice, her condition would quickly deteriorate following her diagnosis.
In a roundtable discussion with CNN’s Stephanie Elam and CNN presenter Sara Sidner in October 2024, she went even further detail.
She clarfied that she was told she should have a double mastectomy to remove both breasts, but she refused since she preferred to start with holistic therapies.
Her tumour unfortunately expanded to other parts of her body and advanced to stage IV.
“My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent, I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made,” Lewis said. “I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. . . . I wish I could go back. It’s important for me to admit where I went wrong with this.”
Many were shocked to learn of her passing, and comments on her influence on the media and MTV fans poured in on the announcement page.
One person wrote: “I’m so sorry to see this. We were freshman together at Howard and she was always nice to me. Rest in Heaven and sending prayers of comfort and peace to you and your family.”
Someone else said, “Ananda was such a gem. In disbelief. May her journey home be filled with joy and love, and may her memory be a blessing to all who knew her. Lifting you up LS Emory in prayer sis!”
Another commented, “She is free. No more pain. Her days here on this earth were impactful and amazing. We will always remember her and say her name. We will hold you close my friend. We are here for you. Praying for your strength and peace.”
