"Miss her dearly': Buzz Aldrin mourns the death of his beloved wife, Anca Faur
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YORBA LINDA, CA - JULY 23: Buzz Aldrin and his girlfriend, Anca Faur, stand during the National Anthem during a dinner commemorating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11"u2019s return to Earth at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, CA, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. The Nixon Foundation awarded Aldrin "The Richard Nixon Greatest Comeback Award" crew's splashdown return following the moon landing. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)The world is mourning alongside Apollo 11 legend Buzz Aldrin who has lost his beloved wife, Anca Faur, at the age of 66. The heartbreaking news was shared Tuesday night in a joint family statement on Facebook. Aldrin — the pioneering astronaut who became the second person to walk on the Moon — shared an emotional message following her death, calling Faur “the love of my life.” Their late-in-life romance, which began in 2017 and culminated in marriage on Aldrin’s 93rd birthday in 2023 had become a sweet love story admired by fans around the world.
Now, two years after they tied the knot, the space legend faces one of his most personal heartbreaks yet — a loss that friends describe as both “sudden” and “devastating.”
A heartfelt goodbye to Anca Faur
In a moving statement posted to social media, the families shared:
“Dr. Anca Aldrin, wife of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, peacefully passed away last night with her husband and her son, Vlad Ghenciu, by her side.”
An accomplished scientist in her own right, Anca Faur held a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as Executive Vice President of Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC. Aldrin’s longtime friend, Bobby Charles, revealed to PEOPLE that Faur had been battling a “very rare and aggressive cancer”:
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more positive and courageous and loving effort to live and fight for more time. They were so devoted to each other. I can’t tell you. It was a beautiful love story,” Charles said, recalling her final weeks.
Charles who held the Bible at their wedding, added that Buzz Aldrin was by her side until her final breath:
“He loves her to the ends of the world. He’s holding up… but this was tragic.”
In his own brief tribute, Aldrin wrote:
“I am so fortunate to have found and married the love of my life. She brought joy to everything we did together. I will miss her dearly.”
The couple first met at a professional conference in December 2017 and began dating the following spring. By 2023, they surprised fans by announcing their marriage on Aldrin’s 93rd birthday, held in a private Los Angeles ceremony. “We were joined in holy matrimony in a small private ceremony and are as excited as eloping teenagers,” Aldrin tweeted at the time. Their bond was evident to anyone who saw them together.
“She brought out the best in him. She made him laugh. She made him smile,” one family friend said.
Buzz Aldrin’s enduring legacy
While Aldrin grieves this tremendous personal loss, his name remains etched in history as one of the greatest explorers of all time. The 95-year-old astronaut made history in 1969 as the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, stepping onto the Moon just minutes after Neil Armstrong.
A decorated engineer, fighter pilot and author, he’s also become a familiar face on screen, appearing as himself in The Simpsons, The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock. He’s been portrayed by acclaimed actors including Bryan Cranston, Corey Stoll and Colin Woodell.
For Aldrin, Anca Faur’s passing marks the end of a cherished partnership that brought him comfort, joy and companionship in his later years.
TOPICS: Buzz Aldrin, Anca Faur