Overview

• Andersen’s family said he died peacefully at 1:30 a.m. CT on Sept. 26, surrounded by loved ones, in a statement shared to his Instagram.
• DeGeneres posted a tearful Instagram tribute video recalling that Andersen once called her his girlfriend and praising the joy he brought to others.
• Born with half a heart, he underwent about a dozen surgeries in childhood before receiving a heart transplant at age 10.
• He later faced post-transplant lymphoma and, in 2024, was diagnosed with bladder cancer that had spread widely by June 2025 with a poor prognosis.
• The family described a final week marked by an infection and quiet goodbyes, and his mother publicly thanked DeGeneres for her support.