Stephanie Elam is sharing insight into her friendship with the late Ananda Lewis.
The former MTV VJ and talk show host died at age 52 following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. On Friday, the CNN correspondent, 51, spoke candidly about Lewis while on air with fellow CNN anchor Sara Sidner, 53.
In October 2024, the trio sat down to discuss both Sidner’s breast cancer diagnosis and Lewis’ with the correspondent undergoing traditional treatment while the former television personality opted for a more holistic approach.
CNN
“One thing I want everyone to know is that she was at peace with this decision,” Elam said of Lewis’ choice in treatment. “She had come to grips with it.”
Elam added she visited Lewis the day before she passed, noting her condition declined rapidly.
“We thought we had weeks and it turned out that it turned into days and it turned out it was just a matter of hours,” the journalist revealed. “It happened very quickly how things changed.”
Elam then became emotional while reading Lewis’ last text message to her.
“She texted me and said things had taken a different turn than she would have liked,” Elam explained. “This is part of the text she sent me: ‘You know my feelings on this. We all go. These bodies are on loan and must be returned. We come in love and choose to leave it with love as well.’ And then she goes on to say, ‘I love you my wonderful lifelong bestie of besties.’”
Elam added that Lewis was “my ride or die.”
“I love my girl, but she was hard-headed,” Elam admitted. “She wanted to do it her own way despite the fact that so many of us close to her wanted her to try the way that [Sidner] did it. But this is what she wanted to do and she was totally at peace with it.”
On Instagram, the TV host penned an emotional tribute to her longtime pal.
“She was good energy and joy. She was fiercely loyal and deeply loving. She was an awesome mother, a dedicated auntie to my daughter, a giving human and she was my best friend for two-thirds of our lives,” Elam began alongside a montage of pictures of the two throughout the years.
“We met at the very beginning of freshman year at our beloved @howard1867 Howard University,” she continued. “She was 18 and I was 17. Our bond was quick and easy. Two young women from California beginning four years together in Washington DC. We were so tight, we celebrated our graduation together at an Indian restaurant with both of our families.”
Looking back at their bond over the years, Elam added, “We were there for each other in the big moments and the quiet everyday ones – the no makeup mommying days and our annual “framily” traditions with our kids – which we never missed.”
“I was so proud of her when she agreed last fall to disclose more about her breast cancer path in conversation with me and @sarasidnertv,” she went on. “I truly believe they saved lives by being so open.”
“If only we knew that would be our last time on camera together – or that last summer would see our last beach day, or last autumn our final trip to the fall festival, our last solo convo this spring. But last night I got to hold her hand and tell her how much I love her. Please know she was at peace with her passing.”
She concluded: “I’m so glad she’s no longer in pain but I’m not quite sure how to life this life without her.”
Lewis’ sister, Lakshmi, first revealed the devastating news in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
. stephelamtv/Instagram
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Lakshmi wrote beneath a black-and-white picture of Lewis. “Lord, rest her soul.”
The MTV alum shared her Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis in an Instagram post in October 2020.
“This is tough for me, but if just ONE woman decides to get her mammogram after watching this, what I’m going through will be worth it,” Lewis captioned the video, which explained she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years prior.
In her October 2024 conversation with Elam and Sider, she said, “My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent, I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made. I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. I wish I could go back.”
In an issue of Essence published earlier this year, Lewis stated that “prevention is the real cure.”
Lewis is survived by her son, Langston, 14, whom she shares with Will Smith’s younger brother, Harry Smith.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
