Rayya Elias, the partner of best selling author Elizabeth Gilbert, has died aged 57. The author, songwriter and short filmmaker was diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer in 2016.
Gilbert shared the news in touching statements shared across her social media accounts on Friday afternoon.
“She was my love, my heart, my best friend, my teacher, my rebel, my angel, my protector, my challenger, my partner, my muse, my wizard, my surprise, my gift, my comet, my liberator, my rock star, my completely impossible non-cooperator, my otherworldly visitor, my spiritual portal, and my baby,” Gilbert wrote alongside a photo of Elias playing guitar.
“I loved you so much, Rayya. Thank you for letting me walk with you right to the edge of the river. It has been the greatest honour of my life. I would tell you to rest in peace, but I know that you always found peace boring. May you rest in excitement. I will always love you.”
In September 2016, two months after announcing her split from husband José Nunes, the Eat, Pray, Love author shared that she had found love with Elias, her best friend of 15 years. In June 2017, the pair wed in a “simple and spontaneous ceremony of love.”
Our thoughts are with her loved ones.
