Reality Star's Death at 36 'a Total Shock'

Cristina Sanz, one of the central faces of A&E's Emmy-winning series Born This Way, has died at 36 following a sudden cardiac arrest, her family said. In a statement shared on her Instagram account, parents Mariano and Beatriz Sanz wrote that Cristina fell ill at her day program on Monday and was whisked to a hospital, where efforts to stabilize her heart failed. Her mom and dad said they were able to be with her at the end, calling her death "a total shock and unexpected."

Sanz appeared in all four seasons of Born This Way, which followed adults with Down syndrome as they navigated work, relationships, and independence, per NBC News. Her storyline highlighted her career ambitions and relationship with Angel Callahan—the two married in 2018 and later separated in 2021, citing pandemic-related strain. In a statement to People, A&E said it was "deeply saddened" by Sanz's death and offered condolences to her family and those who knew and worked with her. Entertainment Tonight reports that Sanz is survived by her parents and two younger brothers.