NEED TO KNOW
- Kaelin Bradshaw, a TikToker with over 99,000 followers, has died after living with rare bile duct cancer
- In a video posted to her account by her husband, Austin, it was confirmed that Kaelin died on Monday, Oct. 27
- She posted her final updates nearly two weeks earlier, when she announced that she was entering hospice and directed viewers to a GoFundMe page set up to help her husband
Influencer Kaelin Bradshaw has died at age 29 after documenting her life and rare cancer journey on TikTok.
According to a GoFundMe page she created in October, Kaelin was diagnosed with stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer that typically affects people over the age of 50, per Mayo Clinic.
In a YouTube video posted earlier this year, Kaelin said her symptoms started in October 2024.
Two days after she died on Monday, Oct. 27, her husband, Austin, confirmed the news of her death in an update to her TikTok page. He also read a written statement paying tribute to the late social media star.
Kaelin Bradshaw.
Kae Bradshaw/TikTok
“From the moment Kaelin was diagnosed, she was devastated, but also determined. She promised me and our family she was going to fight and never give up,” he recounted in the video shared on Wednesday, Oct. 29. “She fulfilled her promise, but unfortunately, her disease progressed beyond her body’s ability to keep fighting.”
Austin shared that Kaelin died at 1 a.m. local time while holding his hand. “She was not in pain, and her room was surrounded by the love and compassion of our entire family. She was not alone, nor was she ever alone throughout this entire journey,” the grieving husband continued. “Her family and I were next to her at all times, behind the camera, in ears reach.”
Kaelin’s father, Mark, also confirmed her death on his own social media page. On Tuesday, he shared an Instagram Reel of videos and photos of his daughter over the years. In the caption, he spoke from a “heavy heart” to announce that the family “lost our beloved angel today.”
“Thank you for the love, prayers and support that everyone has shown our family, it means more now than ever,” Mark wrote. He continued to addressed the late TikToker, adding, “Your light touched so many people, and your memory will forever shine in our hearts. Rest in peace my love you will be dearly missed.”
On Oct. 11, Kaelin posted an emotional video recounting recent MRI results, which showed growth from a tumor in her liver. Shortly after, she was moved into a hospice room, where she shared another update with her 99,000 followers. She explained that she no longer qualified for chemotherapy due to her body’s need to recuperate.
“But the only thing that’s getting me is that I had to sign a [do not resuscitate] to get here,” she said through tears. “So I did sign a DNR in my 20s.”
Kaelin Bradshaw.
Kae Bradshaw/TikTok
Kaelin’s final post on Oct. 16 directed viewers to her GoFundMe page, which she said she set up to help her and her husband “with whatever the future brings.” She detailed how Austin has been by her side “since day one,” and he’s adjusted his life to accommodate her emotional needs and aid with medical bills.
“He’s stayed with me every single night I’ve been in the hospital and somehow managed to juggle two jobs on top of that. He even sold his truck and boat just to help ease the financial pressure on both of us,” Kaelin wrote of her spouse in her last video’s caption.
“I really want to take some of that stress off his shoulders so he can focus on just being here with me,” she continued. “We’re also hoping to take a trip together as soon as I get the green light to start my next treatment, and we’d love to be financially ready when that time comes.”
