On Friday, TikTok celebrity Jehane Thomas tragically passed away at the age of 30, having suffered from extreme migraines for several months. Prior to her death, Thomas took to Instagram to reveal she had been diagnosed with optic neuritis, a disorder which causes the eye’s optic nerve to swell, as per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. On March 5, she wrote, “I was told my migraines were stress related for nearly two years, but they then suspected I had MS, which was ruled out. However, the pressure in my head literally takes me off my feet.”
The social media star also expressed her immense gratitude to her parents, saying “I want to start my thank yous by saying a huge thanks to my mom and dad who are always there to help me with the boys. I hate being wiped off my feet with a migraine or sickness but they will always be the first ones to take the boys for a few hours and I’m so grateful to have you both.”
Thomas had a following of 67,000 on TikTok, and documented her frequent hospital visits on her social media accounts. Her final video, posted on Wednesday, showed her lying in a hospital bed, stating she was due for surgery and was unable to move. “I have 4 liters of fluids in me and my head this morning is horrific,” she wrote in the caption. “I can’t lift my head up without wanting to be sick and I’m unable to walk, I need to be wheeled everywhere. That’s how bad this pain is.”
Following her surgery and a weeklong stay, Thomas was discharged from the hospital, only to return when her migraines flared up again. Her friend Alyx Reast set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for her funeral and her two children, Isaac and Elijah, aged 3 and 1 respectively. As of Monday, the fundraiser had exceeded its goal of $12,255, raising $13,456.
Thomas’ followers were devastated to learn of her death, with many taking to social media to express their sorrow. “I don’t know Jehane personally but I have just balled my eyes out” one user wrote, whilst another said “I have been crying for an hour over someone I never met, but Jehane your life helped me so much.” A third person added, “I just don’t understand how this has happened I can’t stop thinking about you.”