Anca Faur Aldrin, the wife of Buzz Aldrin, the second person to ever walk on the moon, has died at 66.

A statement from the Faur and Aldrin families was posted on social media Wednesday, Oct. 29: "Dr. Anca Aldrin, wife of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, peacefully passed away last night with her husband and her son, Vlad Ghenciu by her side."

Aldrin and Faur married Jan. 20, 2023 − his 93rd birthday − in a private ceremony.

"I am so fortunate to have found and married the love of my life," Aldrin said in the statement. "She brought joy to everything we did together. I will miss her dearly."

The couple frequently attended high-profile events with A-list celebrities or cozied up at their Satellite Beach, Florida, condo.

"Her family requests privacy in their time of mourning," the statement concluded.

The 95-year-old NASA astronaut, who was married to Faur for almost three years, is best known for his role in Apollo 11. In July 1969, the Apollo 11 crew, consisting of mission commander Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, Aldrin and pilot Michael Collins, made history with their moon-landing mission as the world watched.

Who is Buzz Aldrin? Who was Buzz Aldrin's wife, Anca?

NASA astronaut Aldrin was part of the Apollo 11 crew that launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida – then known as Cape Kennedy – on July 16, 1969, as hundreds of thousands gathered along the Space Coast to watch the historic mission unfold. Aldrin became the second person to walk on the moon's surface after Neil Armstrong. He is the sole survivor of the three-astronaut crew and a remains a vocal advocate for space exploration.

Aldrin married Faur on his 93rd birthday in a private ceremony in Los Angeles. On their wedding day, Aldrin was honored by Living Legends of Aviation.

On May 13, 2025, Aldrin posted a photo of the couple from their wedding day with the caption: "Happy happy birthday to my love, Anca! I love every minute together."

In the statement from Faur's family, they remembered her as "an accomplished chemical engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, served as the treasurer for the California Hydrogen Business Council and as Executive Vice President of Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC."

Photos of Buzz Aldrin with his wife Anca Aldrin, with family, special events or celebrities

Earlier this year, Buzz Aldrin shared photos on social media from the Living Legends of Aviation event, where he was honored with an award that bears his name.

In several photos, the Aldrins are seen posing with billionaire astronaut, and former Trump nominee to head NASA, Jared Isaacman, Prince Harry, John Travolta and Morgan Freeman.

In addition to high-profile events and socializing with celebrities, the couple also spent time together at their Florida condo.

On Feb. 18, 2025, Buzz Aldrin posted photos online of him wearing a "finders keepers" T-shirt and snuggling with Faur, with a caption that reads: "Hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day weekend. Anca and I celebrated our love and togetherness, spent precious time with grandkids, and enjoyed watching Daytona 500."

Contributing: J.D. Gallop, FLORIDA TODAY

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Anca Faur Aldrin, wife of NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin, dies at 66. What to know

Reporting by Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida / Florida Today

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect