Photo: Padma Lakshmi Instagram
Padma Lakshmiis struggling to find the words to properly honor her friendFatima Ali.
Theemotional video, shared on Lakshmi’s Instagram, featured several photographs of the pair together, as well as a few solo shots of Ali. Along with a sentimental message and some words borrowed from Ali, the clip played to the tune of Carole King’s “So Far Away.”
Earlier in the day, Lakshmi announced that she would be canceling her Facebook Live “due to personal reasons.”
A year later, after Aliupdated her fansand revealed she was getting sicker, Lakshmi commented on the post that she planned to be there for her again. “I’m coming Boo!” she wrote. “Hold on tight.”
The 29-year-old was first diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in 2017.
She hadundergone surgeryto remove a tumor in her shoulder bone and had told PEOPLE she was “technically cancer-free” at theFood & WineClassic in Aspen last July. But in October, throughan emotional essay forBon Appetit,Ali revealed that her cancer was back “with a vengeance.”
She wrote that “the cancer cells my doctors believed had vanished are back with a vengeance in my left hip and femur bone.” She added that her oncologist told her she likely had “a year to live, with or without the new chemotherapy regimen.”
A representative for Bravo confirmed her passing to PEOPLE: “We are deeply saddened to share the news that Fatima Ali has lost her courageous battle with cancer. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time. People not only fell in love with her cooking, but fell in love with her personality and heart. We hope that the beautiful memories shared with her will provide comfort to everyone who knew and loved her.”
Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Since her passing, many former contestants from season 15 of the competition show have been posting on Instagram with photos and memories of their time with the chef.
Chef Brother Luckposted a photo of him and Ali embracing, saying he was “at loss right now of how much this sucks but grateful she’s no longer in pain.”
“God is gaining another angel today and heaven will be full of laughter upon her arrival,” he continued. “She was a queen who carried a heart of gold and my prayers go out to her family. I’m so grateful for the time spent with her and memories we shared. Please cherish the time you have with someone because tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone.”
Bruce Kalman’s Instagram.Bruce Kalman/Instagram
“My dearest Fatima, this is how I will remember you til my time on earth is done. I will remember the hours on end we spent in the kid pool (the damn scratches) or the hot tub playing Never Have I Ever,” chefClaudette Zepeda-Wilkinswrote. “Hearing you talk about your mom with so much love and wishing my kids would speak the same of me one day. Falling asleep talking about life/boys/ dreams. Sweet dreams our Pakistaní princess, the pain is over.”
FellowTop ChefcontestantChef Tu David Phuwrote: “I’m struggling to accept your passing. You had so much more to offer. However, there’s one thing I know for sure #god now has another #angel. You are truly an #inspiration. Your strength has taught me so much.”
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Last week, many of Ali’sTop Cheffriendsgathered in Los Angelesto show support during what were some of her final days.
After posing together in a group photo—which included Adrienne Cheatham, Tyler Anderson, Bruce Kalman, Tanya Holland, Claudette Wilkins, Carrie Baird, Rogelio Garcia, Chris Scott, Tu David Phu, Joe Sasto, and Melissa Perfit—many of the former contestants shared the image on Instagram and wrote messages of support to Ali.
“I wish they were under better circumstances that we were together but when one hurts we all hurt and we rally,” Wilkins wrote. “@cheffati is loved beyond belief and we will be here for her and each other.”
source: people.com
