Cristina Sanz, who starred in all four seasons of A&E's Emmy-winning reality series Born This Way, has died at the age of 36. The show, which ran from 2015 to 2019, followed the lives of seven adults living with Down syndrome, and Sanz's death marks the loss of one of its most recognisable and beloved cast members. Her parents, Mariano and Beatriz Sanz, announced on Instagram that she died on Monday 6 July after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while attending her Day Program in Long Beach, California; doctors were unable to stabilise her heart.

Born This Way, produced by Bunim/Murray Productions for A&E, was praised for its honest and empathetic portrayal of its cast and won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Sanz and castmate Angel Callahan became fan favourites as the series documented their romance, which led to a 2018 wedding, though the couple reportedly separated after the Covid pandemic. Her parents said her death was a sudden and unexpected shock, adding that they were grateful to have been by her side and would treasure the "Cristina moments" she gave them. A&E paid tribute, saying she "touched the hearts of many". Full details of her survivors were not immediately available.