Criscilla Anderson, Star of Netflix's 'Country Ever After,' Passes Away at 45 After Health Struggles

"I pray she knows how fiercely she was loved," shared a mourning friend.

Criscilla Anderson — the reality-series personality who shared her life with audiences on Netflix's "Country Ever After" — had been the subject of deeply personal updates through the final weeks of her life.

Criscilla died at 45 following a seven-year battle with colon cancer, a journey she navigated with relentless discipline, faith, and a willingness to pursue every treatment available to her.

Outliving Her Prognosis

On November 16, 2025, Criscilla's friend Lindsey Wright detailed new medical complications after she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

"Seven years ago she was given two years to live. Here we are, five years past that prognosis, and she's still fighting with a grit and grace that humbles us all," Lindsey lamented.

In Lindsey's detail, the new complications included cancerous fluid around Criscilla's heart, a stroke, numbness in her legs, and surgery to ease the strain on her body — a reminder of how much she had quietly endured.

Her Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis

In 2018, after months of unexplained pain led to emergency visits, the discovery of a tumor prevented a colonoscopy from being completed. Surgeons removed two feet of her colon, and she left the hospital with a stage 3C colon cancer diagnosis.

"As a mom, you always feel like you don't have the time to deal with things like this. But there came a point when I couldn't ignore it anymore," she reflected in an interview with People.

Ups and Downs of Her Cancer Journey

The cancer later progressed to stage 4 and spread through her para-aortic region, at times climbing up her back, requiring a mix of chemotherapy, surgery, holistic treatments, and international travel in search of relief.

"When you say that you will be there for each other through thick and thin and through sickness and health, you have to mean it," her husband Coffey Anderson stated.

"There are a lot of moments that you can never prepare for. I mean, I never thought I would be helping Criscilla brush her teeth or get to the bathroom in the middle of the night. But we are willing to do it for each other. Each of us are [ sic] giving 100 percent," Coffey added during the same interview.

Even after a brief period of NED (no evidence of disease) in 2021 — a moment that left Coffey in tears — Criscilla continued preparing for the possibility of recurrence, balancing the reality of chronic illness with cautious hope.

The couple, who married in 2009 after meeting through church connections, had that hope tested again in 2022, when new scans revealed another set of complex realities they had to face together.

"The thing with cancer is that the chances of it returning are very, very high. That's why it's always been important for me to not only celebrate all the victories, but prepare my mind for a bad scan, which takes us right back to the drawing board. It's almost like I have to treat the cancer like a chronic disease," Criscilla said.

As her health declined, Criscilla began preparing for the moment when she might no longer be able to speak for herself, ensuring that her final message would reflect the life she lived rather than the illness that challenged it.

A Farewell Told Through Images and Words

Just as Lindsey had promised her, the final update was posted on December 3, 2025 — a message Criscilla wrote herself.

The post included a carousel of images that reflected the emotional range of her final months and the joy she continued to reach for despite her declining health. Alongside those images was Criscilla's final written message to her community, which Lindsey posted on her behalf.

"My sweet community, if you're reading this, I've finally slipped into the arms of Jesus — peacefully and surrounded by love. Please don't stay in the darkness of this moment. I fought hard, and I loved deeply. I am not gone… I'm Home," the deceased dancer wrote.

A Mother's Final Words to Her Children

To her children — Ethan, Emmarie, Savannah, and Everleigh Anderson, Criscilla 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. Everleigh, my bright spark — chase your dreams boldly and without fear."

Criscilla also lovingly told her circle of women how they carried her through seasons when she could not stand alone, and thanked her family for loving her "so unconditional [sic]."

She ended with a final request, "Be gentle with each other. Hold my children close. And remember: heaven isn't as far away as it feels. I love you all. Always. — Criscilla ✨❤️"

A Husband's Heartbreaking Tribute

The same day Lindsey shared the note, Criscilla's husband, country singer Coffey Anderson, confirmed her death in a tribute that spoke to both loss and the fierce love the family shared.

He wrote:

"Criscilla defined strength and fighter like no other person on the planet. Heaven gained a star today. 💔 She said before she passed, '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 added:

"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. We did good with them."

"I'm glad you get to meet the two babies we lost… 😭 I love you more," he concluded his message. The death of Criscilla is profoundly heartbreaking because Coffey also lost his own mom to lung cancer just 10 days before his 11th birthday.

Criscilla's legacy — as a mother, performer, and woman of faith who lived openly through every stage of illness — continues in the community she built, the family she adored, and the millions who followed her story from diagnosis to the final message she left behind.