Ananda Lewis, the former MTV VJ and talk show host, has died after a six-year battle with breast cancer. She was 52. 

Lewis’ sister, Lakshmi Emory, shared a statement with Fox News Digital. 

“Ananda was a beacon of light, who lit up the world with her intellect, passion and beauty. She will be missed beyond measure by those by those of us who had the privelage of knowing and loving her,” Emory said.

On Wednesday, June 11, Emory announced Lewis’ death with a post on Facebook.

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“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms. Lord, rest her soul,” Ananda’s sister, Lakshmi Emory, wrote.

Lewis’ career began as a host on BET’s “Teen Summit.” She interviewed big names like Kobe Bryant, Tupac Shakur and the first lady at the time, Hillary Clinton, which later earned her an NAACP Image Award, according to The Associated Press.

In 1997, Lewis shot to fame after she was hired as one of MTV’s VJs, hosting “Hot Zone” and “Total Request Live.” Lewis left MTV in 2001 and became the host of her own talk show, “The Ananda Lewis Show,” which aired for one season.

“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms. Lord, rest her soul.”

— Lakshmi Emory, Ananda Lewis’ sister

Lewis told the AP in 2001 she faced backlash after leaving BET for MTV.

“I wouldn’t say in a strong way because I think most people who were in my fan base at ‘Teen Summit’ understand that growth is necessary. One of the main things we dealt with on a consistent basis, like the underlying theme of all the shows, is you’ve got to get out there and live your life,” she said. 

Ananda Lewis battled breast cancer for six years. (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)

“The bottom line is this is about you. So, how do you want to grow and whom do you want to develop into? My justification is that I say to kids, ‘Be your best and take advantage of every opportunity.’ So, I couldn’t sit in a place of not taking advantage of an opportunity,” she told the outlet at the time. 

In 2020, Lewis took to Instagram to share that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. It advanced to Stage 4 last year. 

“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. PRACTICE EARLY DETECTION. Share this with a woman you love. These 6 minutes could help save her life. I love you guys,” Lewis captioned her video at the time. 

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In her video, she noted that she was not getting routine mammograms due to her fear of radiation. 

Ananda Lewis did not get a double mastectomy despite doctors’ recommendations. (Mirek Towski/FilmMagic)

Lewis later said doctors recommended a double mastectomy, but she opted for alternative methods. She eventually realized that was the wrong measure, becoming an advocate for being up to date with mammogram checkups.

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Lewis penned an essay for Essence in January and emphasized that “prevention is the real cure” when it comes to breast cancer.

Ananda Lewis in 2004 (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)

“We’re not meant to stay here forever. We come to this life, have experiences — and then we go.

“Being real about that with yourself changes how you choose to live. I don’t want to spend one more minute than I have to suffering unnecessarily. That, for me, is not the quality of life I’m interested in. When it’s time for me to go, I want to be able to look back on my life and say, ‘I did that exactly how I wanted to,’” Lewis wrote.

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After walking away from her talk show, Lewis made appearances as a host on “The Insider,” TLC’s “While You Were Out,” and A&E’s “America’s Top Dog.”

Lewis is survived by her son, Langston, her parents, Yvonne and Stanley Lewis, her sisters, Dr. Lakshmi Emory and Tracee Meyn, her niece, Kyla, her brother-in-law, Rev. Keitric Emory, as well as extended family and close friends.

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Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys founder and lead songwriter, has died, his family confirmed on social media. He was 82.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” they wrote. “We are at a loss for words right now.”

They added, “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

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Circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately provided.

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The Beach Boys began with Brian and his two brothers, Carl and Dennis. Eventually, they were joined by their cousin, Mike Love, and a friend from school, Al Jardine. The band is one of the most commercially successful groups of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

In January 1963, The Beach Boys recorded their first top-10 single, “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” which began their long run of highly successful recording efforts.

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They released “Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)” in 1965, which included “California Girls” and “Help Me, Rhonda.” The following year, they released the critically acclaimed “Pet Sounds” album.

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“I love the whole ‘Pet Sounds’ record,” Wilson said. “I got a full vision out of it in the studio. After that, I said to myself that I had completed the greatest album I will ever produce. I knew it. It was a spiritual record. I wanted to grow musically, to expand our horizons and do something that people would love, and I did it.” 

The Beach Boys formed in 1961, and became one of the most commercially successful bands of all time. (Robin Platzer/Getty Images)

The Beach Boys rose to fame in the ’60s with hits such as “God Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations.” (Michael Ochs)

Last year, Wilson was placed under a conservatorship following a dementia diagnosis. 

The diagnosis, coupled with the death of Brian’s wife, Melinda Wilson, led his family and doctors to make the decision.

“Following the passing of Brian’s beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and consultation among Brian, his seven children, Gloria Ramos and Brian’s doctors (and consistent with family processes put in place by Brian and Melinda), we are confirming that longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian’s co-conservators of the person,” the family said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time.

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“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for by Gloria Ramos and the wonderful team at the house who have been in place for many years helping take care of the family,” the statement continued. “Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses.”

Wilson was born in Inglewood, California, and played with The Beach Boys for more than 60 years. (Getty Images)

According to a doctor’s declaration submitted to the court, Wilson was unable to self-administer his own medication or adhere to his medication scheduling. He also struggled with his ability to control his mood or emotions.

Wilson was previously placed under a conservatorship in the ’90s after being involved with psychologist Eugene Landy. 

Landy became a live-in psychologist and business partner. Family members said Landy over-medicated Wilson based on a paranoid schizophrenic diagnosis. This, along with other worrisome issues, caused a conservatorship request by the family to separate Wilson from the troubling doctor.

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