Edgardo del Villar passed away tonight, more than three months since leaving Telemundo 47 to focus on his battle with cancer.
He was 50.
Del Villar was diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent surgery in August 2019. He was off the air for several months, but returned to the anchor desk in November of last year.
But the cancer did not yield to the treatments. Earlier this year, he took another medical leave and in a heartfelt farewell message that aired at the end of the station’s 6 pm newscast on August 24, he announced his departure to focus on his health.
“You all know about my fight against cancer. It’s the toughest fight I’ve ever faced in my life. But I feel lucky, blessed, and eternally optimistic,” he told viewers in Spanish.
His wife, journalist Carolina Novoa Arias, posted a photo of the couples’ wedding day on her Instagram account with a “Rest In Peace” message.
Telemundo 47 set up a virtual memorial on their website for people to send condolences.
“Edgardo Del Villar was a talented journalist and gifted storyteller with a smile that lit up the screen. We stood in awe as he fought an incurable disease with remarkable resolve; pushing himself to the limits, returning to the air throughout his treatment and remaining positive and upbeat through it all. He was our inspiration and we loved him,” Cristina Schwarz, President and General Manager of Telemundo 47, said in a statement. “Our station family extends condolences to Edgardo’s mother, his siblings, his wife Carolina – and his beloved daughter, Dana Princesa. They will forever remain in our hearts.”