'Born This Way' star Cristina Sanz dies suddenly at 36

Cristina Sanz, who appeared on the Emmy-winning reality series Born This Way, has died at the age of 36.

Her family announced the news in a statement shared on Instagram on Wednesday, July 8.

"It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our daughter, Cristina, passed away Monday morning," the statement read.

Sanz's cause of death has been said to be due to a sudden cardiac arrest, which occurred while attending her day program. 

She was rushed to the hospital, but "despite the doctors' best efforts to stabilize her heart, she did not survive," they said.

"We are grateful that we were able to be by her side at the end. Her death was a total shock and unexpected."

Her family concluded by saying, "We will forever treasure the gift of her life. We will all carry in our hearts the wonderful 'Cristina moments' that she gave us."

A&E also paid tribute to the reality star.

"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."

Her final Instagram post, shared in December, featured a cast photo from Born This Way.

The series followed a group of young adults with Down syndrome as they pursued their goals, built careers, formed relationships and worked toward living independently.

Sanz appeared in all four seasons of the show, which aired from 2015 to 2019 and won three Emmy Awards.

The series also documented her relationship with her then-husband, Angel, including their wedding in a 2018 episode. TMZ says the couple separated in 2021.