Heartbreaking.
TMZ is reporting that former America’s Next Top Model star Jael Strauss has died at age 34.
Two months ago, Jael, who featured on season 8 of ANTM, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The model began chemotherapy after her diagnosis but had decided to stop the treatment by Halloween and entered hospice care a couple of weeks later.
According to TMZ, Jael passed away yesterday at 11am, having been unconscious for two full days.
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Her family released a statement, saying:
“The one blessing was that we were able to show her how loved she was before she passed. She brought so much light to people.”
Jael shared her diagnosis with her social media followers on October 4th, writing a post on Facebook.
“I was gonna write some long thing but some of you guys deserve to know, On October 2nd I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer,” she wrote.
She continued, “It has aggressively spread throughout my body and is incurable. With treatment it may prolong my life longer than the ‘few months’ doctors said I could make it. I don’t want to die. I need another one of those miracles that I got back in 2013.”
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Jael appeared on Dr Phil in 2012 to discuss her battle with addiction.
The model celebrated 5 years of sobriety in August 2018, writing on social media:
“Today I have 5 years sober. Good God! I know a few things to be true: Miracles are real. Recovery is possible for everyone no matter how far gone you think you are.:
“Thank you to all my beautiful family (blood and extended). Because of this gift I have no friends, only family. Love you all! Keep up the good fight.”
Our thoughts are with Jael’s family and friends and this difficult time.
