The world is mourning the loss of Talina Fernández. The Mexican journalist, producer, and actress died on Wednesday (June 28) after a battle with leukemia. She was 78 years old.

According to People in Español, Fernández was rushed to the hospital for an emergency stemming from the cancer. The news of her hospitalization was confirmed by her son, who informed the media that his mother arrived at the hospital in a weakened condition.

“She had a disease that came on very quickly,” Levy said. “We didn’t expect it. We didn’t see it coming. We didn’t know how it degenerated so much. It started out as a weakness a month ago and suddenly it turned into myelodysplasia and that ended up being leukemia.”

Fernández was born Catalina María del Sagrado Corazón Fernández-Veró Vela in Mexico City on August 2, 1944. Her parents were Jorge Fernández-Veró and Catalina Vela Alcaráz. Fernández graduated with a degree in nursing from the National Institute of Cardiology in Mexico City.

Fernández began her acting career in 1972 on the telenovela Las gemelas. During her acting career, she also appeared in series like Caras y gestos, Muchachita, and Tenías que ser tú. She also produced several series, hosted others, and even ended up as a contestant on Master Chef Mexico in 2020. 

During her career as a journalist on Televisa, Fernández was known as “La dama del buen decir.” She was one of the original producers of Hoy, the Mexican morning variety show. And she was also featured on TV programs like Viva el domingo and Sale el sol.

Fernández was married and divorced twice. She married Gerardo Levy and had three children with him. She then married politician, Alejandro Carrillo Castro.

She is survived by two sons, Coco and Patricio, and several grandchildren, and is preceded in death by her daughter, Mariana Levy.