At just 25 years old, Taylor Rousseau Grigg’s death was “sudden and unexpected.” The social media influencer, who had garnered more than 1.5 million followers and tens of millions of views on TikTok, died Oct. 4. Shortly after, her family came forward, revealing Grigg had a rare condition.
“No one ever expects to have to deal with this kind of pain and heartache, especially at our age,” her husband, Cameron, wrote on Instagram. “This past year Taylor has dealt with more pain and suffering than most people do in a lifetime.”
Speaking to Today.com, the TikTok star’s family said Grigg died after suffering complications from asthma and Addison’s disease. With only 0.6 out of every 100,000 people affected each year, it’s a rare condition.
“You’re seeing me be sick for the whole time that we’re married and not finding out what was wrong until this year … I barely found out what was wrong with me,” the influencer told her fans before her death, explaining she “got sick” in August 2023. “I was struggling that whole time feeling like I was going to die.”
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Addison’s disease causes chronic fatigue. Muscle weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain and loss of appetite are common symptoms.
“It just sucks because I’m 24 years old, I should be in my prime, I should be able to carry my suitcase up the stairs, I should be able to walk to the mailbox, or run, and those are just things that I can’t really do right now,” she continued.
The condition is a form of adrenal insufficiency, Johns Hopkins Medicine reported. It’s caused by a malfunction within the adrenal glands, leading to a deficiency of hormone cortisol. That deficiency makes it more difficult for the body to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as control blood pressure and the immune system.
Grigg donated her organs to pediatric patients.
“Her earthly body is still here with us being ran by machines to keep her organs viable for donation,” Cameron wrote. “More than anything Taylor would want to know that she’s continuing to save people’s lives even after she’s gone from this world.”
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