Former Miss Fresno County loses cancer battle at 35. She made impact in short time

It’s easy to fall in love with a beauty queen.

But could you start a deep, romantic relationship with her if you knew she had cancer, and heartache and pain awaited down the short road?

Could you remain by her side as her health failed?

Chris Wilson knew part of the backstory of his future wife before they ever met.

Andrea Andrade already had gained national attention — appearing on “Inside Edition” and various other media outlets — as a Miss California pageantry contestant from Fresno County who had cancer.

Despite being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, Andrade competed in the beauty contest with a chemotherapy port sticking out of her chest.

“I felt like I just need to do this,” Andrade told “Inside Edition” in 2017. “It’s been one of my lifelong dreams.”

Wilson admired Andrade’s fight and positivity, and her courage to share her story publicly with others.

He wanted to get to know more about her.

And as their paths continued to cross while working events at Chukchansi Park, Wilson finally mustered the courage to ask Andrade out.

What followed was an eight-year relationship — the final two as husband and wife — filled with many smiles and lifelong memories packed in a short amount of time.

However, heartache and heartbreak, and many, many tears would follow.

But Wilson’s love and care for Andrade would only strengthen as her battle with cancer got more intense.

“I was punching above my weight class for sure,” Wilson said. “I was so surprised she ever gave me a shot. But what I realized really quickly was her authenticity.

“I fell in love with her soul and what made her who she was: positive, encouraging. I was her biggest fan and she was my biggest fan. She gave me confidence. She believed in me. And for her to love me the way she did, I’m forever grateful.”

Andrade outlived the doctors’ original prognosis when they predicted she’d have only six months to two years to live.

But she eventually lost her battle with cancer after nine years and died on Jan. 16.

She was 35 years old.

“I prayed day in and day out for my recovery,” Andrade wrote on social media in July 2020. “But at the end of the day, I always gave GOD my life and let him guide me.”

Helping others

Not all stories have a happy ending.

But if so much of the book was fun and captivating, it was still worth it all, right?

For their first date, Wilson recalled trying to impress Andrade by taking her out to Westwoods BBQ.

Andrade followed by bringing Wilson to her favorite food truck spot.

“She looked like such an elegant queen but was also such a humble, loving family person,” Wilson said.

Andrade would go on to win five pageantries: Miss West Coast, Miss Nuestra Belleza USA, Miss Fresno County, Miss Regional West and Miss California Congeniality.

With Wilson by her side, Andrade — a small town girl from Reedley with big dreams — also would get to travel the world and pursue some of her other life longings.

They opened a business together, promoting concerts and events.

They started a music education program to help students learn how to play instruments and dance.

“She was that person who was so positive about everything,” friend Fabiola Ramirez said. “For all that she was dealing with, she had a strong willingness to live, be involved in so much and do great things.

“She was such a fighter. She was so inspiring.”

Perhaps the couple’s most impactful program that they put together was “Not All Heroes Wear Capes.”

Andrade and Wilson would visit children cancer wards, deliver Easter baskets to their homes, and bring them and their families to Fresno Grizzlies baseball games.

Almost anything to try to inspire kids and give them hope.

In time, both the Fresno Grizzlies and the Fresno FC, the professional soccer team that once existed in town, both held a “Not all Heroes Wear Capes” night to recognize and honor children who were battling cancer.

“She said it was one of her most rewarding things of her entire life,” Wilson said. “She felt it was a great way to put a smile on families’ faces during what had to be challenging times.

“That’s just part of who she was.”

And she did it all while dealing with her own unresolved health issues.

Chronicling cancer battle

Andrade was open about her medical condition in hopes of inspiring others and to help those going through similar situations.

In addition to conducting media interviews and appearing on podcasts, Andrade documented her ups and downs on social media:

Diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer and having colectomy surgery to remove the tumor. Told she was in remission for roughly two years. Then informed cancer had appeared in her reproductive system, and it had reached stage 4.

Now, she’d have to fight cancer all over again with constant chemo and radiation treatments in town and with long drives out of Fresno.

“Sharing part of my life story wasn’t easy,” Andrade wrote on social media. “But it’s something I️ felt I️ needed to do to try and help those who helped me and help those who need it to try and prevent it. ...

“People ask how I stay positive. My family gives me reason. They give me strength, and lots of will to live!!!! I fight every day against a disease that could easily beat me, I suffer through chemo and it’s horrible side effects. You all have been motivating me to keep pushing through!”

Andrade’s health started to fade in October.

She was able to spend Christmas at home, but was admitted into the hospital a couple of days later.

“She fought and pushed all the way until the very end,” Wilson said.

Andrade, a Reedley High graduate who also went to Reedley College, is survived by her parents, older brother Junior, and two younger brothers, Eric and Jose, as well as Wilson.

A viewing for Andrade is scheduled for Feb. 4 (6-9 p.m.) at St. Anthony of Padua church in Reedley.

Funeral services are set for Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. also at St. Anthony’s in Reedley, with a burial ceremony to follow at 2 p.m.

Friends, family and all those impacted by Andrade are all invited to attend.

“She felt her mission from God was to share her story and help other people,” Wilson said. “To let it be known that even if you’re diagnosed with something, you can still have an amazing life and pursue your dreams.

“Like Andrea did. And it was an honor to be part of that.”