A star of MTV’s The Challenge has suffered a heartwrenching loss.
The Challenge star Aneesa Ferreira took to Instagram on Friday, June 27, to share with her friends and followers that her father has died after a long, painful battle with Alzheimer’s.
“With the heaviest heart, I share that my dad has passed away,” writes Aneesa on her Instagram stories. “He left this world peacefully, free from Alzheimer’s at last. I imagine him whole again — dancing among the stars.”
She continues, “He left this world peacefully, and I find comfort in believing that he’s now somewhere beyond the reach of Alzheimer’s — a place where his mind is clear, his body is whole, and he has a smile on his face.
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“Even with that comfort, my heart feels broken. The world feels quieter without him. A part of me went with him when he left.
“Losing a parent is a pain unlike any other — a quiet ache that lingers in everything. I will miss my dad every single day, but I know this isn’t the end. I believe we’ll meet again, in some beautiful way, someday. I love you, daddy.”
Aneesa has been candid about her father’s experience with Alzheimer’s. Just 12 days before he died, she wrote a poignant Father’s Day post about how “heavy and sad” this year was because of his late-stage dementia.
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“As some of you know, my dad has late-stage Alzheimer’s dementia. Watching someone you love go through this cruel disease is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. He can no longer walk or speak, and seeing him like this is heartbreaking,” wrote Aneesa. “This Father’s Day hits different. It’s heavy and sad. If you’re going through something similar, or if you’ve lost a parent, please know — I see you, I feel you, and my heart is with you today.”
The comments were flooded with her fellow Challenge competitors offering their support.
“Dad love 🙏💙,” wrote Derrick Kosinski.
Tori Deal wrote, “Sending you so much love, nushy!”
“❤️ Hang in there, sister. You got this,” wrote Tina Barta.
Josh Martinez wrote, “Love you so much Neesi ❤️.”
Cara Maria Sorbello wrote, “Sending love nees ❤️.”
Aneesa is the most prolific female Challenge contestant, having appeared on 18 seasons of the long-running MTV competition series — though she is still chasing that elusive win. The only Challengers who have been on more seasons than Aneesa are Johnny Bananas (22) and CT Tamburello (21).
She can next be seen on season 41, which premieres Wednesday, July 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, though a kick-off episode airs Wednesday, July 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
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