Maddy Baloy, 26-year-old who documented her journey to terminal cancer on TikTok, dies

Maddy Baloy, a prominent TikTok creator who shared her journey through terminal cancer through heartfelt videos and stories, has died at the age of 26.

The family of the content creator, who previously worked as a kindergarten teacher in Florida, confirmed to NBC News that she died on May 2. She was surrounded by her parents and fiancé, the family said.

“Madison looked a lot like her mother and lit up the room when she walked in,” her father, Lucky Talmage, told NBC News. “Whether you knew Madison for five minutes or five years, she created a special bond with people she encountered. She was really special to us.”

“Cancer really has the ability to break you wide open and there is certainly a lot left to reveal. One of the things it revealed about Madison was not only her strong will and ability to endure the most severe pain over and over again, but it really just reflected her character,” said her mother, Carissa Talmage. “She continued to use her humor and her ability to joke around to get through the most horrific events any parent would ever have to experience.”

Her mother added: ‘Even when she got sick, nothing would go down, her body refused everything – food, water, she still couldn’t help but try to make sure everyone else around her felt comforted and safe. Despite what she was going through, to give you a smile, to make you feel like you belong and that you’re safe with her around.”

Baloy’s followers became aware of her diagnosis with stage four terminal cancer, which she received in early 2023.

In a post shared on her Instagram page, Baloy recalled how the stomach pain she first experienced in the summer of 2022 worsened in February 2023, prompting a visit to the emergency room. There, doctors discovered a significant mass in her colon, as well as cancerous tumors.

The creator took users through her cancer journey by sharing posts on TikTok that juxtaposed her emotional struggle with her experience and her hopeful search for the life she had left.

Carissa Talmage described her daughter as “born for something bigger than I think anything in this world had to offer.”

“She stood out just because of the way she thought and processed life.”

“I was so happy that she found a way to show that to others,” she noted of Baloy’s TikTok following, which had risen to more than 452,000 followers.

In March 2024, Baloy posted her last video on her page.

In the nearly two-minute post, which has been viewed more than 2.5 million times, she explains that her cancer has not only undergone a colostomy, but has also spread to the lower half of her body. At the time, Baloy had cancer in her large and small intestines, her colon, uterus and ovaries. She tearfully explained that fear and shame had prevented her from bathing since a colostomy placement a year earlier, but expressed her resolve to overcome this during a trip to Japan.

“After I got my colostomy, I thought I would never take a bath again for fear I would make a mess,” she explained. “But I’m in Japan for a very limited time and I’m here, I’m on Earth for a very limited time and I don’t want to be afraid to take a bath. So come take a look with me in the bath. ”

Users also watched Baloy as she pursued various goals on her bucket list. She once shared a video saying that meeting British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was a dream she was able to achieve. In February, she confirmed she had the chance to meet the restaurateur in person.

“The greatest honor and the coolest night of my entire life,” she wrote in a caption for a video post shared on the page of her dancing with Ramsay in a kitchen. “And to everyone who made this possible; I love you!”

Following news of her death, Ramsey shared the video of them dancing in the kitchen, along with a heartfelt message.

“I truly have no words for the sad news we received today about the loss of @madison,” he wrote. “She was kind, fun and a true inspiration to me and my three girls. Knowing that we were able to make one of her dreams come true will always be cherished for me. She will always be my first and last dance in the kitchen and never forgotten. Sending all our love to her fiancé and family.”

Baloy’s bucket list included 18 items she wanted to check off, including climbing a mountain and dancing in a DJ booth.

In the comments section of her latest post, fans expressed their regret that she wasn’t able to complete her list.

“I literally cried because I wanted her to finish her list,” one user commented. “Rest in peace sweet girl.”

“Rest in peace sweet angel,” another added. “You will be greatly missed, thank you for sharing your hard-fought journey with us.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com