Ariana DeBose took to social media to share some heartbreaking family news: the passing of her mother, Gina Michelle DeBose.
“At 10:28 am on August 17th, my gorgeous, hilarious, outspoken, warrior queen Mother - Gina Michelle DeBose - passed away due to complications with stage 3 ovarian cancer. I couldn’t be more proud of her and how she fought this insidious disease over the past 3 years. She was 57 years young,” the Hamilton star wrote on Instagram.
DeBose continued, “She was my favorite person, my biggest fan, and toughest critic. My best friend. She was my date to every important moment in my professional and personal life - and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“It had always been the two of us for as long as I can remember. Through lean times, and there were many of those & green times. She fought like hell to give me a good life, a good education, and every opportunity in the world. I wouldn’t be where I am without her. I meant it when I said my Oscar 'is just as much hers as it is mine.'”
DeBose shared details about Gina, stating that she loved to “paint, play cards, listen to good music, and snuggle with her cats.” However, there was a little-known side of her mother that the Oscar-winner wanted to highlight.
Gina was a public school teacher for almost 30 years. DeBose called her mother, “The greatest advocate for the underdog, a believer in arts education, and the smartest person I know.
She added, “With a willingness to speak her mind regardless of the consequences. But she was also a heart-forward individual who believed in hard work, compassion, and empathy in the same breath.”
DeBose concluded her tribute by stating her “greatest and most proud achievement will always be to have made her proud.”
More than 20,000 women in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, according to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Though rates of the disease have declined, it's still a leading cause of cancer deaths for women.
While there's no effective screening test for ovarian cancer, style brand Camilla and Marc is aiming to change that by donating proceeds from its "Ovaries. Talk About Them." campaign T-shirts to research for detection tests. Per the brand's website, the campaign has raised $2.5 million over five years for the cause.
