The family of Edith Gonzalez, the 54-year-old Mexican actress who died on Thursday, has confirmed in a heartfelt statement, filled with touching tributes, that her loss was indeed related to the ovarian cancer she had been battling since 2016.

In the early hours of June 13, rumors that the famed telenovela star, married to Lorenzo Lazo, had passed away began to spread. Journalist Mara Patricia Castañeda acknowledged the accuracy of the reports, stating that the Corazón Salvaje (Wild Heart) beauty had died at a Mexico City hospital

The statement in full reads:

"Lorenzo Lazo and the Gonzalez Fuentes family can confirm to the public the sad loss of Mexican actress Edith Gonzalez de Lazo. Her death was caused by a sudden deterioration in her health due to a recurrence of cancer with which she was diagnosed three years ago.

She remained active in her television and theater work until the very last moment with the professionalism and passion by which she was always characterized.

Edith Gonzalez leaves behind a legacy of love for her family, her profession and her country. Her long international career in theater, movies, radio and television began when she was five years old and she always enthusiastically supported cultural, social and philanthropic initiatives.

She maintained a close relationship with her more than 1.5million followers in more than 50 countries, all of whom she lovingly referred to has her family. To all of them, we appreciate each one of the expressions of love and affection that you showed her in every moment.

Her remains will lie in a funeral agency in the north of [Mexico] city and in her honor, the artistic and cultural community of Mexico will pay a public tribute in the headquarters of the Asociación Nacional de Actores (A.N.D.A.) which she was a part of from the time she first stepped onto a stage as a little girl; this will be... Friday, June 14 at 11am in the Jorge Negrete Theater.

Her family appreciates respect at this deeply painful time."