Bella Bradford, a 24-year-old TikTok influencer who was battling a rare form of cancer, shared a moving message in her final video which announced her own death.
The TikToker, whose full name was Isabella "Bella" Bradford, died on Tuesday, Oct. 15, according to her death notice. The posthumous video was shared on TikTok weeks after her death on Oct. 31. At the end of the caption read a note that said she died "peacefully surrounded by the people she loves most."
Bradford, known for her fashion content, often sharing videos of her outfits and get-ready routines, previously opened up about her life following a diagnosis of a rare jaw muscle cancer at 22 in 2021.
In her final video, Bradford expressed her gratitude to her fans for their support.
"I have terminal cancer and unfortunately, by now, my life has come to an end, and I've passed away," she said. "But I wanted to do one final 'Get Ready With Me' because I love doing these, and I love fashion. Thank you for following me on this fun journey, and yeah, I hope that you can look back on all my videos and find a little bit of joy in your day if you ever need a pick-me-up."
James Van Der Beek's diagnosis puts spotlight on rise of colorectal cancer in young peopleShe went on to remind her followers about cherishing each moment in life.
"Remember that you live every day, and you only die once, so make every day count," she added.
In the final video, Bradford was dressed in a strapless dress paired with black ballet flats and a white cardigan, completing the look with a pearl-chain teddy bear necklace, a brown baseball cap, and oval sunglasses.
"Thank you guys so much for this wild and wonderful ride. I hope you all have beautiful, amazing lives," Bradford concluded the video, blowing a kiss. "I wish all the best for every single one of you…lots of love."
In the note, written in the caption of her final video, Bradford shared, "Filming these videos truly brought me a sense of [purpose] in my final few months and also connected me with a very kind community of people."
In May, Bradford opened up about her life as a 24-year-old cancer patient in a "Get Ready with Me" video.
"I was diagnosed with a really rare form of cancer in my jaw muscle when I was 22," she explained at the time. "That was in 2021, I thought it was my wisdom teeth, (it) wasn't."
She shared that she went through a year of treatment, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, fertility procedures, and multiple surgeries to remove the tumor and reconstruct her jaw.
Bradford shared that she entered a period of "intermission" with her cancer, but about 10 days before a planned trip to Europe with friends, she learned the cancer had returned.
In the touching note from her final video last week, Bradford also thanked her fans "for allowing me to be myself on this platform."
"I really felt excited each day to jump on here and connect over our shared love of life and fashion," she continued. "I wish you all a beautiful life and please [remember] to live each day with as much significance as the next. What a privilege it is to grow old."
