Former Miss Venezuela Loses Battle With Cancer

Eva Ekvall, former Miss Venezuela and third runner-up for Miss Universe (2001) has passed on at the young age of 28.

The pagaent beauty lost her battle with breast cancer on Saturday in Houston. Ekvall was a working model, actress, news anchor and author. She wrote and published a book about her hardships with cancer to create more awareness for the people who followed her.

The book, entitled  "Fuera de Foco" ("Out of Focus"), also gives insight on Eva's ways of making it through. Her daughter (Miranda, just a baby at the time) and the joy she brought were the keys to staying positive and strong. Eva aslo included select emails to friends letting them know how she was doing and keeping them updated on her health status.

Eva was married to John Fabio Bermudez, a radio producer who posted a touching photo on Twitter to leave a positive image of his late wife.  The caption reads "Siempre juntos...te amo esposa" which means "Always together...I love you wife."