“I had no idea obviously — no one could — of the longevity of its life."
Coffey Anderson’s wife Criscilla Anderson has died after a battle with colon cancer. She was 45.
The “Country Ever After” alum, who used to be a choreographer for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, announced her own death with a heartbreaking farewell message on her Instagram Dec. 2.
“My sweet community. If you’re reading this, I’ve finally slipped into the arms of Jesus — peacefully and surrounded by love,” she wrote in the caption, which was shared by her friend Lindsey Villatoro.
“Please don’t stay in the darkness of this moment. I fought hard and I loved deeply. I am not gone… I’m Home,” she continued.
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She proceeded to share a touching message to each of her three children — and one stepchild.
“To my children — my whole heart,” she wrote. “Ethan, you made me a mom. I’m still beside you, cheering you on.Savannah, my bonus girl — you were a gift God knew I needed.”
“Emmarie, my Jesus-loving dancer — keep dancing through every season,” she continued. “Everleigh, my bright spark — chase your dreams boldly and without fear.”
In one of the photos, Criscilla is sitting in a hospital bed surrounded by Ethan, Savannah, Emmarie and Everleigh.
“My babies… I am watching over you. When a moment feels warm, familiar, or too beautiful to be coincidence — that’s me. I’m still mothering you. I’m still yours,” she added.
Coffey and Criscilla Anderson were in the midst of a divorce
Criscilla and Coffey Anderson — a country music star best known for his 2016 hit “Mr Red White and Blue” — tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed three children together over the next eight years.
Coffey, who filed for divorce from Criscilla in 2022, took to Instagram to honor Criscilla after her death.
“Criscilla defined strength and fighter like no other person on the planet,” he wrote alongside a carousel of photos of her. “Heaven gained a star today.”
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He also shared some of the final words she said to him.
“If you see a butterfly, that will be me. If you miss me, a butterfly will show up. Remember….I’ll be there with you,” he recalled.
“We miss you already. Our hearts are shattered. Our minds are jumbled. Our lives will never be the same. The house is quieter because you’re missing. The babies are resilient and strong as ever,” he added.
Criscilla was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2018. At the time, she was given two years to live.
Though she was declared cancer-free by the summer of 2021, the cancer returned the following year and began growing in her lymph nodes before spreading again earlier this year.
“Here we are, five years past that prognosis, and she’s still fighting with a grit and grace that humbles us all,” Villatoro wrote of her friend in an update shared on Criscilla’s Instagram on Nov. 15.
“This mama is NOT giving up. She plans to move forward with radiation, possibly chemo, and is actively exploring trials that specialize in colon cancer research. This is not the end of her story,” she added.
In her posthumous message, Criscilla sent one final message to her “circle of women” and family.
“Thank you for holding me when I couldn’t stand, wiping my tears, taking me to appointments, and making me laugh. You were God’s hands in my life for years,” she wrote.
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“To my family…thank you for loving me so unconditional. Please take care of one another — my love is still wrapped around you,” she concluded.
