Fans around the world are mourning the loss of Country Ever After star Criscilla Anderson, who has passed away at 45 following a long and courageous battle with colon cancer. Yet in true Criscilla fashion – strong and generous to the last moment – she managed to turn even her final goodbye into a message of comfort and light.
The beloved dancer and mother shared her own passing with the world in a posthumous Instagram message, released by a close friend and photographer. In it, she spoke directly to the community that had supported her throughout her journey.
“My sweet community, If you’re reading this, I’ve finally slipped into the arms of Jesus – peacefully and surrounded by love,” she wrote. “Please don’t stay in the darkness of this moment. I fought hard and I loved deeply. I am not gone… I’m Home.”
Even in her final words, Anderson’s focus was on love, connection and the legacy she leaves behind, especially with her children.
“My babies… I am watching over you,” she wrote. “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.”
She urged those left behind to “be gentle with each other,” adding, “Hold my children close. And remember: heaven isn’t as far away as it feels. I love you all. Always. — Criscilla ✨❤️.”
Tributes poured in across social media, including from actress Viola Davis, who wrote: “Just devastating. Really. I never stopped praying and will continue to pray for her family, her children and for her name to continue to be spoken. God’s got her❤️.”
Her former husband and Country Ever After co-star, musician Coffey Anderson, also shared a moving tribute, calling her “a fighter to the end”.
“Criscilla defined strength and fighter like no other person on the planet. Heaven gained a star today,” he wrote. “We miss you already. Our hearts are shattered… The house is quieter because you’re missing. The babies are resilient and strong as ever. We did good with them.”
In a message that captured both grief and gratitude, he encouraged her spirit to finally rest and rejoice:
“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 love you more.”
Before her illness, Criscilla danced for global superstars including Britney Spears and Rihanna – a testament to the talent and fire that shaped her life’s work.
Images: Instagram
