MTV star Ashley Cain mourns 8-month-old daughter after battle with 'rare and aggressive' cancer

Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY
·2 min read
Ashley Cain appeared on the 2019 season of MTV's "The Challenge: War of the Worlds."
Ashley Cain appeared on the 2019 season of MTV's "The Challenge: War of the Worlds."

MTV reality show star Ashley Cain is mourning the death of his 8-month-old daughter, Azaylia Diamond Cain, who died Saturday after a battle with a "rare and aggressive" form of leukemia.

"Rest In Paradise Princess," Cain, 30, wrote in an Instagram post Sunday. "I will always hold you in my heart until I can hold you again in heaven."

Cain and Safiyya Vorajee welcomed Azaylia on August 8. They announced October 9 that their daughter had been diagnosed with "a very rare and aggressive form of (leukemia), which has come with many complications."

"Right now I feel broken, scared and worried all of the time," Cain wrote on Instagram at the time. "But I am finding strength in trying to be the best father I can be, no matter the situation, for her. That is the least she deserves and the most I can give her, the best me I can be. There is one thing for certain though, I couldn’t be a prouder dad and a more blessed human to have such an incredible daughter."

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Earlier this month, the couple learned tumors had spread to Azaylia's brain, kidneys, liver, lungs and spleen, and the cancer had become too aggressive for chemotherapy to help. On Friday, nurses urged the family to "enjoy the weekend as they now think her body is slowly shutting down," Vorajee shared in a heartbreaking post.

"So we will be now returning home with our beautiful baby to give her the best possible time left that we can," she added on Instagram.

Cain, a British former professional soccer player, has appeared on several MTV reality shows, including "Ex On The Beach" from 2014 to 2016 and "The Challenge" in 2019. Over the past six months, he has kept his more than 1.7 million Instagram followers updated on Azaylia's condition, garnering support from fans and stars including Dwayne Johnson and Jameela Jamil.

"Thank you to everyone. You don’t understand how much all of your love and light is comforting myself and my family," Cain wrote after announcing the diagnosis.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ashley Cain of MTV mourns 8-month-old daughter after cancer battle