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American Idol season-seven contestant and plus-size model Joanne Borgella has died from a rare form of cancer.
The Long Island, New York native was 32 and had been battling endometrial cancer, which she revealed in a video posted to her Facebook page a year ago had “spread to her chest.”
Borgella, who was living in Hoboken, NJ at the time of her 2008 audition, made it all the way to the top 24, but was eliminated after a performance of “I Say A Little Prayer.”
Prior to her stint on the Fox singing show, she was the winner of Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance pageant as “Miss F.A.T.” in 2005. A Wilhelmina model, she was also featured as a cast member on the second season of Curvy Girls on NUVO TV.
American Idol musical director Michael Orland offered his condolences on Twitter, writing, “So sorry to read about the passing of @JoanneBorgella. She was one of those special people that came through the @AmericanIdol doors. RIP.”
It has been a sad year for the season-seven cast. Top 10 finalist Michael Johns passed away this August.
Watch Borgella’s audition and top 24 performance below:
Twitter: @MicheleAmabile, @Idol_Worship
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