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'Top Chef' alums rally, reunite to be with terminally ill Fatima Ali

In the wake of former "Top Chef" contestant Fatima Ali's announcement that she's "getting sicker," her fellow chefs rushed to be by her side.
Top Chef alums and Fatima Ali
The season 15 stars of \"Top Chef\" got together to support their friend and fellow former contestant Fatima Ali.claudettezwilkins/cheffati/Instagram
/ Source: TODAY

Just days after former "Top Chef" contestant Fatima Ali issued a heartbreaking update about her battle with terminal cancer, her fellow season 15 alums gathered together for a "bittersweet reunion" to be by her side.

Plans for the reunion seemed to begin in the comments section of the heartbreaking post last week in which Ali announced that she was "getting sicker" and needed "prayers."

Brooklyn, New York, chef Chris Scott replied to say, "We're on our way sis....We'll surround you with so much love very soon," while new dad and season 15 winner Joe Flamm wrote, "See you soon my friend. I have a new friend who can't wait to meet you!!"

Los Angeles chef and restauranteur Bruce Kalman added, "We are all comin for ya Sunday and Monday."

(Be sure to swipe or click through to see both photos in the set.)

Scott, Flamm and Kalman were joined by Adrienne Cheatham, Tyler Anderson, Tanya Holland, Claudette Wilkins, Carrie Baird, Rogelio Garcia, Tu David Phu, Joe Sasto and Melissa Perfit for the gathering.

"There are things we do that make no sense and they make no money and those things may be the real reason we are here. To love each other and eat each other’s cooking and say it was good," Wilkins wrote alongside a set of group photos, quoting writer and illustrator Brian Andreas.

She continued in her own words.

"These people are my people," Wilkins said. "Hard to explain the bonds that happen during our time together. I wish (it were) under better circumstances that we were together but when one hurts we all hurt and we rally. (Fatima) is loved beyond belief and we will be here for her and each other."

"A bittersweet reunion," Holland said of the occasion when she shared a similar photo. "Our dear @cheffati is the glue...we are bonded forever now."

While Ali and Flamm weren't in the group photos, Flamm later shared a special photo featuring the woman who brought them all together and that "new friend" he'd mentioned earlier.

Fatima Ali
Former "Top Chef" contestant Fatima Ali inspired a reunion among her season 15 alums.Bravo

The photo showed Ali holding Flamm's 1-month-old son, Luca, in her arms. He captioned it, "Today was a good day."

Kalman reposted the same photo, adding, "We all came together, flew in from as far as Alaska, to see this beautiful lady, and got to have some laughs with her. We love you so very much @cheffati."

And there may have been another more mini-"Top Chef" reunion for Ali, though there were not any photos from it yet.

In response to Ali's update post last Thursday, host Padma Lakshmi wrote, "I'm coming Boo! Hold on tight."