Breast Cancer Claims Former Miss Venezuela, 28

CARACAS, Venezuela – Former Miss Venezuela Eva Ekvall died at age 28 on Saturday after a long and closely-followed struggle with breast cancer.

Ekvall was first crowned Miss Venezuela in 2000 at age 17 and in 2001, she was the third runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico. Since her pageant successes, Ekvall has worked as a model, actress, and television news anchor. She was also an author, having written a book titled “Fuera de Foco” (translation: “Out of Focus”) which details her struggle with breast cancer, documented in part with photographs by Roberto Mata.

Ekvall’s family released a statement on Sunday saying that Ekvall’s remains are to be cremated on Monday in Houston and that a service will be held in her home country of Venezuela once her remains are returned there.

She is survived by husband John Fabio Bermudez, a radio producer, and the couple’s 2-year-old daughter.

Her illness was followed closely by Venezuelans who have since provided deep and public condolences to her family in the wake of her death.

Ekvall’s husband has expressed his mourning via Twitter, posting a photograph on Sunday featuring a close-up of the couple’s hands joined together as Ekvall rests in a hospital bed, with the quote: “Always together… I love you wife”.

Do you know anyone struggling with breast cancer? Have you known anyone who has lost that battle at a young age? I think it goes without saying that it is tragic… and all too frequent.