COMICSANDS
percolately
georgetakei
secondnexus
george's picks
Most Read
Comic Sands © 2019
News
Friends And Family Of Beloved 'Top Chef' Alum Fatima Ali Share Emotional Goodbyes After Her Death At Age 29
29 January 2019
Instagram: Cheftudavidphu
Last week, on January 25th, it was announced that former Top Chef contestant, Fatima Ali, had passed away. Ali succumbed to bone cancer. She was 29.
<p><br></p><div id="5f824" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="EDAP7J1548785182"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtFUq06jGE9/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Fatima Ali on Instagram: “Fatima was at home with us, surrounded by her loved ones and beloved cat Mr. Meow, when she left us in the early hours of the morning. When…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p><br></p><p>Shortly after filming wrapped on Ali's season on the show, she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. The young chef underwent several rounds of chemotherapy to treat the disease. </p><p>Though initially, it seemed the treatments had worked, the cancer came back and metastasized. Ali was given a year to live.</p><p><div id="action_button_container"></div></p><p><strong>Her friends have spoken out about their heartbreak at the news of her passing.</strong></p><p><br></p><div id="7fbde" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="F1S95A1548785182"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtEXvVeHpOW/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Brother Luck on Instagram: “My heart is heavy today with news of the beautiful @cheffati passing away from her battle with cancer this morning. I’m at a loss right…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="b2228" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="E2SPOS1548785182"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtEhXbDlhpc/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins on Instagram: “My dearest Fatima, this is how I will remember you til my time on earth is done. I will remember the hours on end we spent in the kid pool…”</a></p>
<p><div id="c7da91bc-8e44-492f-b7fd-c382c0e55bda"></div></p></div></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="90b84" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="B8JE7W1548785182"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtEngFMhrb6/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Chef Tu David Phu on Instagram: “I’m struggling to accept your passing. You had so much more to offer. However, there’s one thing I know for sure #god now has another…”</a></p>
<p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p></div></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="51697" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="A1WZK91548785182"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtEUxvzlHAL/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Bruce Kalman on Instagram: “It’s with a heavy heart we say goodbye to Fatima Ali today, as she has lost her battle with cancer. I will miss you Fati, and you will be…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fatima-ali-dead_us_5c4dc47de4b06ba6d3bdf943" target="_blank">Ali moved from</a> Pakistan to America at the age of 18. She attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York to become a chef. </p><p>After graduating, she worked hard and became the youngest sous chef at Macy's Stella 34. Later, she became the executive sous chef at La Fonda Del Sol.</p><p>When Top Chef initially extended an offer for Ali to participate on the show, Ali turned them down, saying she wasn't ready. They came back two years later and she agreed to do the show.</p><p><strong>Ali participated on the 2017-2018 season of Top Chef and came in seventh overall. </strong></p><blockquote>"I did pretty well, and thanks to the fans I won fan favorite, which some people say is better than winning the whole thing," </blockquote><p>she told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview.</p><p><strong>Fans took to her for the brilliant Pakistani food she made and her sweet and infectious personality.</strong><br></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="25eec" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IGI43Q1548785182"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1089541496045330432" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@nytimes May she rest in peace😔❤🙏</div> — Sekina Hunter (@Sekina Hunter)<a href="https://twitter.com/Sekina03675347/statuses/1089541496045330432">1548601910.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="a6b6d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="S3GUZ91548785182"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1088982429703045120" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@CNN Oh no. Followed her journey on Top Chef and after.. I was thinking about her this morning, wondering how she was doing. So sad 😞</div> — lil (@lil)<a href="https://twitter.com/lilmt520/statuses/1088982429703045120">1548468618.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="53c3e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="L9RS5S1548785182"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1089534496075063297" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@nytimes Her story was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.</div> — vogueybear (@vogueybear)<a href="https://twitter.com/lmh3072/statuses/1089534496075063297">1548600241.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="16335" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HX31MZ1548785182"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1088960013790437376" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@people Truly a beautiful soul. Her courage while facing a terminal diagnosis was incredibly inspiring.</div> — Jason Gallant (@Jason Gallant)<a href="https://twitter.com/jason_g_gallant/statuses/1088960013790437376">1548463273.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="59300" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="12LP711548785182"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1088989960764604417" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@CNN This is very painful. RIP sweet girl😔😔</div> — Sweet Dew (@Sweet Dew)<a href="https://twitter.com/My4EverWorld/statuses/1088989960764604417">1548470413.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p>Ali has been <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/top-chef-season-15-contestant-fatima-ali-cancer-update-chemotherapy-complete-photo" target="_blank">very open about dealing</a> with the cancer. She would post updates about the treatment process and her recovery to her Instagram page often. </p><p>The other contestants and members of the production team from Top Chef have lent their support. Padma Lakshmi, host of the show, had become close friends with Ali, visiting the young woman between her chemo treatments.</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="2f186" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="QEI4C71548785183"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1088899627838001156" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I canceled the @BravoTopChef Facebook Live today due to personal reasons.</div> — Padma Lakshmi (@Padma Lakshmi)<a href="https://twitter.com/PadmaLakshmi/statuses/1088899627838001156">1548448876.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="1b895" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="H9MO371548785183"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1088967140349263872" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Goodbye lil’ sis. One of our brightest stars has fallen from the sky.... I have no words, but here are some of hers… https://t.co/cboKvKRndR</div> — Padma Lakshmi (@Padma Lakshmi)<a href="https://twitter.com/PadmaLakshmi/statuses/1088967140349263872">1548464972.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fatima-ali-cancer" target="_blank">An article</a> in Bon Appetit was where Ali revealed her terminal diagnosis, and now it is Bon Appetit that has shared <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fatima-ali-died-cancer" target="_blank">the chef's final letter</a>. </p><p><strong>Ali wrote on her plans to indulge in life, family, and food with her remaining time. </strong></p><blockquote>"What is my intention? To live my life. To fulfill all those genuine dreams I have. It's easy to spend weeks in my pajamas, curled up in my bed, watching Gossip Girl on Netflix.</blockquote><blockquote>"But now I'm doing things. I'm going out to eat. I'm making plans for vacations. I'm finding experimental treatments. I'm cooking. I'm writing."</blockquote>
Keep reading...
Show less