It’s tragic when people die young. It’s even more tragic when they do so because of a mistake that could have easily been avoided. And it’s even more tragic when they leave behind family that would be better off with them in their lives. As the most recent victim of the “I’d rather not go to the doctor, I’ll do this my own way” trend, 34 year old Playboy model Katie May died of a stroke on Thursday.
Why it happened
On January 29th, 34 year old Katie May was at a photo shoot. As she was posing for the photographer, she felt a sharp pain in her neck, which caused her to fall over. She got up, finished the shoot, and proceeded to go to her chiropractor. The visit wasn’t very successful.
Certain that it was just a pinched nerve, the model went to her chiropractor for the second time, hoping that it will help with the pain in her neck. By the time Monday came along, she had already suffered a stroke, and was brought to the hospital.
Katie began throwing up in the waiting room, and was quickly admitted. Tuesday night came with another stroke, this one catastrophic, leaving the 34 year old single mother brain dead. Her family left her on life support until Thursday, hoping for the best, but they eventually let her pass away.
As it turns out, the model had suffered from a blockage of her carotid artery, which only got worse with her first visit to her chiropractor. Her second visit might have forced the artery even further, causing her stroke.
Who she was
Playboy model Katie May, also known as the Queen of Snapchat, had a huge fan base. Her success as a model and very intense social media presence granted her over 2 million Instagram followers.
She was also an NFL cheerleader, performing during both the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl, and she appeared on many magazine covers, such as Playboy and Sports Illustrated.
What she left behind
Single mother of one, Katie had a seven year old daughter which meant the life to her, according to her family. Other family members left behind are her mother and her brother, who will become the former model’s guardians. They have also started a GoFundMe page to get help with Mia’s tuition fees.
Her mother, brother, and friends all say that Katie was a terrific person, never wanting to give up on anything, always doing her best. This is most likely why she died, as everybody said that if she wasn’t stubborn enough to want to keep going when she should have gone to the doctor, she would have most likely lived.
Image source: YouTube