A California beauty queen has died after a nearly decade-long fight with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, compassion, and a husband who says he is heartbroken but forever grateful for the life they shared.
Andrea Andrade died on January 16 at the age of 35 following nine years of chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries. She was first diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at just 26 years old and was initially given six months to two years to live.
During the long and grueling course of her treatment, Andrade met the love of her life, Chris Wilson. The two were together for eight years and married for two, building a life together even as she battled a devastating illness.
In 2018, Andrade’s cancer went into remission after several rounds of chemotherapy. But the relief was short-lived. Two years later, doctors discovered the cancer had returned and spread to her reproductive system, upgrading her diagnosis to stage four.
Her health began to decline rapidly in October 2025. She spent Christmas at home surrounded by family before being admitted to the hospital just days later. She passed away weeks afterward.
Following her death, Wilson shared a deeply emotional tribute to his wife on social media.
“My eternal love. I know this isn’t goodbye. I’ll see you on the other side, baby. Keep your heavenly arms around me. I love you, mi amor,” he wrote.
Despite her diagnosis, Andrade refused to put her dreams on hold. While undergoing chemotherapy every other week, she competed in beauty pageants with her chemo port visible on her chest, drawing national attention for her courage and authenticity.
Over the years, she earned five pageant titles, including Miss West Coast, Miss Nuestra Belleza USA, Miss Fresno County, Miss Regional West, and Miss California Congeniality.
“I felt like I just needed to do this now,” Andrade said in a 2017 interview while explaining why she pursued pageantry after her diagnosis. “It’s been one of my lifelong dreams.”
Even as her following grew — surpassing 20,000 followers on Instagram — Andrade used her platform to advocate for colon cancer awareness and early screening, especially among younger adults.
She and Wilson also founded a nonprofit initiative called Not All Heroes Wear Capes, inspired by a young cancer patient who wore a superhero costume to every chemotherapy appointment. Together, they visited hospitalized children, delivered gifts to families, and took young patients to baseball games.
According to Wilson, the program was one of the most meaningful parts of his wife’s life.
“She said it was one of the most rewarding things she had ever done,” he shared. “It was her way of putting smiles on families’ faces during some of the hardest moments they’d ever face.”
Colon cancer is most commonly diagnosed in adults over 50, according to the American Cancer Society, but Andrade’s story highlighted the growing number of younger patients affected by the disease.
“She felt her mission from God was to share her story,” Wilson said. “To let people know that even if you’re diagnosed with something terrifying, you can still live an incredible life and chase your dreams. Andrea proved that every day.”