Fatima Ali is feeling “humbled” one day after revealing that her cancer has returned and is now terminal. The Top Chef alum, who said she has a year to live, wrote about her diagnosis in a poignant essay published by Bon Appétit’s Healthyish on Tuesday, October 9, and the response has been overwhelming.
Though Ali hasn’t had a chance to thank every friend and fan who has since sent her support and well wishes, the chef, 29, did express gratitude towards a handful of people who responded to her candid essay on Twitter. When food correspondent for The New York Times, Kim Severson, tweeted that Ali’s essay provided “perspective served brilliantly,” Ali replied: “I’m humbled by your the response. Thank you so much.”
Similarly, when celebrity chef Nigella Lawson commented on Severson’s status and thanked her for sharing Ali’s words, the Pakistan native took note of that, too. “I’m floored. Have always been a huge fan of yours,” she wrote to Lawson, adding two heart emojis.
Lastly, when a fan tweeted she was sending Ali “love and prayers,” the skilled cook replied, “Thank you so much.”
Ali, who has received an outpouring of support from the culinary world, including several members of the Top Chef family, also singled out a handful of people on Instagram who took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on her Bon Appétit piece.
Though she didn’t weigh in specifically on those comments, Ali did include many of them in her Instagram Stories over the past 24 hours. As one fan who Ali mentioned wrote, “Read this woman’s powerful story NOW, and be grateful for every day that we are given.” Added another: “Please read @cheffati powerful story and journey to learn to live life to the fullest. Light and love to you chef!”
Ali was previously diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2017, for which she underwent several rounds of chemotherapy before having a tumor in her left shoulder surgically removed. In February 2018 she confirmed she was cancer-free, but began suffering complications after completing her final found of chemo in August.
