Cristina Sanz, who appeared in the A&E series Born This Way, has died, her family said. She was 36.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our daughter, Cristina, passed away Monday morning,” Sanz’s family announced on her Instagram on Wednesday. “She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at her Day Program and was rushed to the hospital.”
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“Despite the doctors’ best efforts to stabilize her heart, she did not survive,” the statement continued. “We are grateful that we were able to be by her side at the end. Her death was a total shock and unexpected. We will forever treasure the gift of her life. We will carry in our hearts the wonderful ‘Cristina moments’ that she gave us.”
A&E also made a statement to PEOPLE regarding Sanz’s death. “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Cristina Sanz, who touched the hearts of many through her time on Born This Way. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with her,” the network said.
Sanz appeared on all four seasons of Born This Way, a three-time Emmy Award-winning series that took an “intimate look at a diverse group of young men and women with Down syndrome as they pursue their passions and lifelong dreams, explore friendships, romantic relationships and work, all while defying society’s expectations,” per an A&E synopsis. The show aired from December 2015 through December 2019.
The show documented Sanz’s career goals and her life with her then-husband, Angel, including documenting their wedding in a 2018 episode. TMZ reported that the couple split in 2021, though they may have rekindled their romance, as Sanz shared Instagram photos with Angel in 2022 and 2023, including a post celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary in March 2022.
In her Born This Way cast bio, Sanz was described as “a romantic.”
“Her nearly five-year relationship with her boyfriend, Angel, is somewhat of a marvel among the cast,” the bio stated. “Her close-knit family hails from Spain, and Cristina enjoys learning the language and cooking traditional Spanish meals. She fully plays the part of the big sister to her two younger brothers, always teasing them about dating and work.
“Cristina,” it continued, “always impresses her parents with her maturity and compassion and is the first to help someone in need. She hopes to continue to take her relationship to the next level and have an independent life with Angel.”
Sanz last posted an Instagram photo in December 2025, sharing a cast photo from Born This Way.
