Country star Coffey Anderson and his ex-wife, Criscilla Anderson, had spoken openly about her battle with cancer.
In 2022, they both told People Magazine that her cancer was gone. "I walked in and Criscilla was crying, and after four summers of going through this, you just never expect good news," he said then.
Tragically, Anderson's cancer returned, and Coffey announced on his Instagram page on the evening of December 2 that the former dancer and reality star had died.
"Criscilla defined strength and fighter like no other person on the planet. Heaven gained a star today. 💔 She said before she passed, 'if you see a butterfly, that will be me. If you miss me, a butterfly will show up. Remember….I’ll be there with you,' 🦋" his Instagram post read.
He accompanied it with a photo showing a smiling Criscilla in a blue dress.
"We miss you already. Our hearts are shattered. Our minds are jumbled. Our lives will never be the same," he wrote. "The house is quieter because you’re missing. The babies are resilient and strong as ever. We did good with them."
He concluded: "So, dance your heart out on the beach in heaven. No more pain, no colostomy bag, no more neuropathy, no chemo, or radiation and you can eat as much dessert as you want with no calories. I’m glad you get to meet the two babies we lost… 😭 I love you more."
What was Criscilla's specific cause of death? According to the 2022 article in People, Criscilla was a former hip-hop dancer who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2018. The couple also starred in a Netflix reality series called Country Ever After.
"The thing with cancer is that the chances of it returning are very, very high," Criscilla, then 41, told People then. "That's why it's always been important for me to not only celebrate all the victories, but prepare my mind for a bad scan, which takes us right back to the drawing board. It's almost like I have to treat the cancer like a chronic disease."
She added: "Do I want this diagnosis? Of course not. Who would want this? There are times when I get mad and I get angry and I get sad and then, I get hopeful again. The fight is still on, but I have a lot of fight in me."
Criscilla revealed on Instagram that the couple was now divorced. She also shared details and photos from her cancer journey, and a friend posted her final statement after her death. It read,
"My sweet community, If you’re reading this, I’ve finally slipped into the arms of Jesus — peacefully and surrounded by love. Please don’t stay in the darkness of this moment. I fought hard and I loved deeply. I am not gone… I’m Home.
To my children — my whole heart. Ethan, you made me a mom. I’m still beside you, cheering you on. Savannah, my bonus girl — you were a gift God knew I needed. Emmarie, my Jesus-loving dancer — keep dancing through every season. Everleigh, my bright spark — chase your dreams boldly and without fear.
My babies… I am watching over you. When a moment feels warm, familiar, or too beautiful to be coincidence — that’s me. I’m still mothering you. I’m still yours. #everybutterfly
To my circle of women — my sisters. Thank you for holding me when I couldn’t stand, wiping my tears, taking me to appointments, and making me laugh. You were God’s hands in my life for years. To my family…thank you for loving me so unconditional. Please take care of one another — my love is still wrapped around you.
And to @lovesongphotography —the best photographer on the planet… thank you for capturing my life so beautifully year after year. No more Photoshop, sis — Jesus just gave this girl wings!"