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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA friend of Ananda Lewis has opened up about the final text message she received from the former MTV video jockey.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Lewis\u2019s sister posted on Facebook that her sister died, writing, \u201cShe\u2019s free, and in His heavenly arms. Lord, rest her soul.\u201d The announcement came after Lewis revealed in October 2024 that her breast cancer had spread and progressed to stage 4.<\/p>\n
CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam joined Sara Sidner on the channel on Thursday to discuss their last interactions with Lewis. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing I want everyone to know is that she was at peace with this decision,\u201d Elam, 51, said about Lewis and her decision to refuse receiving a double-mastectomy. \u201cShe had come to grips with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought we had weeks and it turned out that it turned into days and it turned out it was just a matter of hours. It happened very quickly how things changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Lewis was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2020, which spread and progressed to stage 4 in 2024 (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nElam then proceeded to read Lewis\u2019s final text message to her. \u201cShe texted me and said things had taken a different turn than she would have liked,\u201d the CNN correspondent said. \u201cThis is part of the text she sent me: \u2018You 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.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cAnd then she goes on to say, \u2018I love you my wonderful lifelong bestie of besties.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Lewis had first revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2020. In her Instagram post, Lewis encouraged women to receive annual mammograms because she had avoided them due to a fear of radiation exposure.<\/p>\n
Speaking with Elam and Sidner during a CNN round-table discussion in October 2024, she revealed her cancer had spread and progressed to stage 4. At the time, the former VJ also revealed why she decided to keep her tumor instead of undergoing a double mastectomy, which her doctors recommended. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy 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,\u201d she told Elam and Sidner. \u201cI decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. Looking back on that, I go, \u2018You know what? Maybe I should have.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the CNN segment, Lewis\u2019s methods of treating her breast cancer included medication, radiation, and improving her sleep and diet.<\/p>\n
On Thursday\u2019s segment, Elam reflected on her friend\u2019s holistic approach to treating her cancer, saying, \u201cI love my girl, but she was hard-headed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wanted to do it her own way despite the fact that so many of us close to her wanted her to try the way that [Sara Sidner] did it. But this is what she wanted to do and she was totally at peace with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n