Donyelle Jones, a 46-year-old reality TV star, bid her earthly farewell on Tuesday, following a prolonged struggle with breast cancer. The news was heartbreaking and poignant, announced on her Instagram account. The message read: "Today at 8:34am, Donyelle Denise Wilson, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a warrior who fought cancer's tyranny every day of her life, transitioned." "Her spirit remained unbroken. Her heart never grew hard. And even in the tempestuous storm of her illness, she never lost her cherished smile," the message added.
Donyelle's journey with breast cancer began ten years ago with a diagnosis of Stage 3C, which later progressed to the dire stage of Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Despite the odds, she remained defiant and unyielding in her fight.
A hip-hop and jazz dancer by profession, Donyelle was a beloved contestant on season 2 of the reality dance series SYTYCD in 2006, finishing third behind the winner Benji Schwimmer and runner-up Travis Wall.
A week before the announcement of her passing, a video shared with fans captured Donyelle seated in a chair with tubes in her nostrils. "Hi everyone, it's Donyelle Denise here," she could be heard saying. "I have reached a point where I have started to get my affairs in order. Most of you know I am now in hospice and have done everything possible to extend my time here in this dimension. At this point, I have surrendered to whatever God's will is."
In the video, she shared how her liver had "stopped functioning" and expressed hope for a "miraculous healing." "I'm audacious. And I have to believe that you can do it," she said with determination. "But I'm also aware that I've received ten years of miracles. What else can I possibly ask for?" Donyelle Jones concluded with an unwavering spirit.
