A Goodbye Under a Big Sky
Dr. Anca Faur, the wife of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, passed away peacefully on the night of October 28, 2025, at 66, with Aldrin and her son, Vlad Ghenciu, by her side. The family described her illness as a rare, aggressive cancer—one she faced with characteristic optimism and grit. In a tender tribute, Aldrin called her the love of his life and thanked her for the joy she brought to every day.
A Late-in-Life Love Story
Their romance started quietly and matured deliberately. The pair first met at a work event in December 2017, began dating in May 2018, and married on January 20, 2023—Aldrin’s 93rd birthday—in a small, intimate ceremony. It was a union that blended personal devotion with shared purpose, and it quickly became the emotional north star of Aldrin’s ninth decade.
Not a Plus-One—A Scientist in Her Own Right
Faur was a Ph.D. chemical engineer (University of Pittsburgh) whose résumé stretched from advanced materials and clean energy to space advocacy. She served as treasurer of the California Hydrogen Business Council and as Executive Vice President of Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC, bringing both technical fluency and strategic leadership to every table she joined. Her career stood on its own; her marriage simply widened the orbit of her impact.
Family Was the Mission
Beyond boardrooms and launch pads, Faur cherished her family roles—mother to Vlad and a proud grandmother. Friends say she was as present in quiet, everyday moments as she was at milestone events, often accompanying Aldrin to ceremonies and space gatherings with a mix of poise and warmth that made her instantly beloved by the extended space community.
A Battle Fought with Courage
News of her passing emphasized the privacy with which the family navigated her illness. A close friend shared that the cancer progressed aggressively, but that Faur remained hopeful and brave to the end—a note that tracks with everything colleagues and loved ones have said about her character. She died at home, peacefully, surrounded by those who loved her most.
What She Meant to Buzz Aldrin
At 95, Aldrin—Apollo 11’s lunar legend and the mission’s last surviving moonwalker—framed his wife’s life as a blessing that arrived exactly when he needed it. In public reflections he highlighted her “brains, heart, and courage,” a trio that reads like a mission patch for their partnership. Their bond steadied his later years and brought a kind of everyday wonder that even a trip to the Moon can’t replace.
Grace Under Spotlights
Faur’s public presence was never performative. Whether standing beside Aldrin at aerospace events or advocating for clean hydrogen initiatives, she carried herself with a calm, unhurried grace. She seemed to understand that public attention is best used as a bridge—to science literacy, to curiosity, to the next generation of explorers—rather than a mirror.
The Work She Leaves Behind
From her industry roles to her executive leadership, Faur helped connect the dots between cutting-edge research, real-world deployment, and bold ideas about humanity’s future beyond Earth. Her career reminds us that the space story isn’t only written in rockets; it’s written in materials science, energy systems, and the steady, collaborative work that powers every breakthrough.
How to Honor a Life Lived in Service of Possibility
For those inspired by Faur’s example, meaningful tributes are close at hand: support cancer research and patient services; champion scholarships for women in STEM; encourage a young student who’s fallen in love with science. The gestures don’t need to be grand to be true to her legacy—they just need to move someone a step closer to discovery. (Inference based on reporting about her life and work.)
The Final Word
Anca Faur’s story is not only one of love late in life—it’s one of purpose, humility, and relentless curiosity. She built a distinguished career, shaped a loving family, and stood shoulder to shoulder with one of history’s great explorers without ever dimming her own light. In mourning her, we’re reminded that the frontier isn’t just on the Moon or Mars; it’s also in the way brilliant, decent people choose to live on Earth.
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