Social media influencer Madison Baloy, who rose to TikTok fame for sharing her battle with terminal cancer, has died at the age of 26.
Baloy, who had amassed more than 452,000 followers, fought stage four colon cancer after beginning to experience symptoms in 2022 and given five years to live in 2023, her family told People.
The content creator, who also taught kindergarten in Florida, inspired many with her straightforward videos where she lived life while staring her disease in the face.
“Hi, I’m Maddy, I’m 25 years old. I have stage four cancer and it is spreading all over my belly,” Baloy introduced herself in one video. “Come spend the day with me because I don’t know how many I’ll have left.”
She recorded herself putting on a wig, participating in a photoshoot for a brand, having to cancel on fun with her friends because her body was in pain, and having to go to the emergency room after experiencing bleeding.
At the end of the video, Baloy displayed a surprisingly positive message, saying, “I still have cancer; it’s progressed extensively, and I’m the coolest girl in the world.”
@fruitsnackmaddy spend the day with me:) i missed you. #atageiv #cancer #cancergirl #bald #adenocarcinoma #coloncancer #cancersucks #fcancer #cancersurvivor #bald #baldgirl #chemotherapy #chemosideeffects #petscan #pet #dayinthelife #diml #selfcare #ovariancancer
Baloy was “surrounded with love” when she died, her fiancé Louis Risher confirmed to People.
“Madison passed away peacefully last night,” he said in a statement Thursday.
“She is so special,” Fisher added. “I turned 27 yesterday, actually. I was holding her hand all day and that’s all I needed.”
The TikTok sensation posted her bucket list of things she wanted to accomplish before her death, one of which was meeting celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
After that video gained attention, the Hell’s Kitchen chef invited her to have dinner with him at his Miami, Florida, restaurant and the opening of his newest restaurant, Lucky Cat, in South Beach.
@fruitsnackmaddy GORDON RAMSAY! The biggest honor and the coolest night of my whole entire life. And for everyone who made this happen; I love you! @Gordon Ramsay #LuckyCatbyGordonRamsay #GordonRamsay #HellsKitchen #Miami #Cancer #StageIVCancer #TerminalCancer
“I’m truly at a loss for words by the sad news we received today about the loss of (Madison),” Ramsay said, per the New York Post. “She was kind, fun and a true inspiration to me and my three girls. Knowing we were able to make one of her dreams come true will always be cherished by me. … She will always be my first & last dance in the kitchen and never forgotten. Sending all our love to her fiancé and family.”