Jessica Alba mourned the death of a dear friend this week and her emotional tribute brought her fans to tears.
Taking to Instagram, the entrepreneur and actress revealed the tragic loss of Michelle Hynek who succumbed to colorectal cancer.
The young mother-of-two had been fighting the disease for several years and has left a large hole in Jessica's life.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAlongside photos of Michelle - who was a producer for Crawford & Co Productions - Jessica wrote: "Michelle - you were the realest of all of @kellysawyer’s friends that I met 15 years ago. I was new to the friend group and you always felt like my kind of people - grounded, cool AF, hilarious, a badass boss and kind.
"You fostered art and beauty and were fiercely protective of those you chose to work with. Raising everyone’s game around you and bringing along so many you believed in."
Jessica then revealed how Michelle had saved her life by insisting she get checked out by a doctor.
"You showed me that warriors can be soft + vulnerable and how to surrender to loving friendships," she continued. "I started my inner work, my healing and spiritual path because of you, and unlocked my connection to my soul and truth.
"The colonoscopy you pressed me to get, according to my doctors, saved my life! You are a true angel! I owe so much of what’s good in my life to what you inspired, what you initiated.
"If we are lucky we get to meet our soul family, and you are a soul sister, Michelle. May your soul fly free and continue to soar in this next phase of your journey. You are magic, you are love and I’m so blessed to have you as a friend and soul sister."
Jessica sent her thoughts to Michelle's loved ones by concluding her message: "Your legacy will live on in your sweet angels Billy and Stevie," she said of her friend's children. "They are so lucky to have you as their momma. Michelle Hynek, rest easy. I love you."
© David M. BenettFans commented with praying hands emojis and wrote thoughtful messages sharing their condolences.
Jessica has not spoken publicly about getting her "life-saving" colonoscopy - a test to check inside a person's bowels - but did ask for help for Michelle when she first got her stage 4 diagnosis in 2019.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) recommends that average-risk adults between the ages of 45 and 75 get regular screenings for colorectal cancer.
