According to Roberts’ agent, the actress was suffering from stage four breast cancer.
The award-winning actress and children’s book writer Crystal-Donna Roberts, known for her roles in Krotoa, 7de Laan, and the telenovela Arendsvlei, died on Thursday morning.
Roberts lost her battle to cancer at the age of 41.
Roberts’ husband, Schalk Cornelessen, shared the news on Facebook on Thursday, saying: “RIP my beautiful beautiful loving wife.”
According to Netwerk24, Roberts died peacefully in her sleep. “My heart is broken, but she was peaceful when she went. She is with God, free of pain,” Cornelessen told the publication.
Roberts’ agent, Karen Tallie, spoke to Cornelessen and also confirmed her death to News24.
The actress died around 1am on Thursday morning, surrounded by family in their Cape Town home. According to Tallie, Roberts was battling stage four breast cancer. She asked the public to respect the family’s privacy during this time.
Crystal-Donna’s battle with cancer
Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2019.
On 22 October 2019 she shared that after three biopsies, a double mastectomy, four rounds of chemo and 25 rounds of radiation, she was done with treatment.
A year after her diagnosis, she wrote on Facebook, “Last year on the 7th of March 2019 I was told I was sick. It’s a year later and I’m still here. I am grateful. Here’s to giving cancer the finger”.
Tributes for Roberts pour in
Meanwhile, tributes are pouring in. The actress Donnalee Roberts posted on Instagram, “Today I miss our visits in our 7de Laan dressing room… rest in peace, beautiful, beautiful person.”
In an Instagram post, KykNET said it “shares in the sadness of the passing of Crystal-Donna Roberts, a remarkable actress known for her award-winning role in Krotoa and her captivating performances in Arendsvlei and Fynskrif. We are thinking of her husband, family, and everyone who loved Crystal during this time. Her talent and passion left an indelible mark on our hearts.”
Penguin films also paid tribute to Roberts.
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