TikTok star Mackenzie Paul has died at the age of 26 following a three-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Her husband, Brandon Paul, confirmed her passing in an emotional Facebook video this week.
Brandon said: 'Kenzie is in heaven now. Selfishly, I wish she was here, still with me, and it’s going to take the whole rest of my life to get over this. But the one thing I am really, really happy about is that she’s not in pain anymore.' He described her as 'the strongest, hard-working, most disciplined woman I’ve ever met' and said she 'made me a better man, a better husband, every single day.'
Mackenzie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2023 while in her second year of medical school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She had experienced dizzy spells and fatigue, and tests revealed the rare and aggressive cancer.
She began documenting her journey on TikTok, sharing the harsh realities of living with the disease. She told People that posting online gave her 'a renewed sense of hope and purpose' and helped her connect with others facing similar battles. Before her death, she published a poetry book titled This Is What It Feels Like: A Book of Poems Written by a Cancer Patient.
Brandon added: 'I’m not sure why she had to go through this. I’m not sure why this had to happen. But I’m glad I got to spend the past couple years with the love of my life. She’s my everything. She always will be.'
