Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
TikTok star Bella Brave has died from a combination of rare health issues.
In a post shared on Instagram, the 10-year-old social media personality’s mother, Kyla, confirmed her daughter’s death on 15 July, a week after she had been placed in a medically induced coma.
Kyla frequently posted videos of her and her daughter doing everything from going to Disneyland to messing around with makeup. According to Canadian radio station CJME, Bella was born with three rare medical conditions including dwarfism, Hirschsprung disease, and severe combined immunodeficiency.
Bella - born Isabella Thomson - had been experiencing complications from a lung infection. Before being placed in the coma, Kyla wrote that Bella was intubated in the ICU on 9 July. The following day, she shared with followers that their family had received bad news about Bella’s condition.
“The best of the best were telling us it looked really bad. But I kept a lifted stare, intensely listening until I heard what hope there was left, that we could hang on to,” she wrote. “There has been a rapid fibrosis like deterioration of Bella’s lungs. They believe it could be an immune response.”
She continued: “They’ve seen this post BMT but why it’s happening now and this fast is unknown to them. The one option they have left to help her lungs work again will be the large dose steroids. We are on day two of those and day three will give us more information on how soon we could see her lung function improve.”
“Bella is in a medically induced coma. She’s stable and that in itself is the improvement for now,” she added, noting that she and he husband were trying their best to comfort her throughout the ordeal. “Lyle and I talk to her, I play music for her and we are reading her all the cards, letters and messages you’ve all sent. We are praying and believing we have stopped the fibrosis attack on her lungs, in enough time, that still allows her lungs to heal and function again. This wait is beyond unbearable.”
Unfortunately, Bella succumbed to the complications, to the heartbreak of her 7.3 million followers. On TikTok, Kyla shared clips of Bella dancing in a purple dress to “Never Enough” by Loren Allred from The Greatest Showman. She also shared a sweet post of her daughter on Instagram.
“Our brave girl left her legacy here on earth to dance on streets of gold,” Kyla wrote in an Instagram caption. “Bella passed peacefully in our arms. Please keep her name on your lips, her memories alive and her bravery in your hearts.”
She added: “Please share with us every detail of how she touched your life or kept you brave. Bella would want you to remember; God is love, be brave and you are never too old to bring a stuffy.”
In the comment section, there was an outpour of support and prayers for Bella.
“Quietly I’ve followed this account and watched her live her best life and not complain once,” one person wrote. “This is heartbreaking.”
Another added: “This broke me to pieces. Rest in peace, Bella, prayers to you all.”
