Former ‘ANTM’ Contestant Jael Strauss Has Passed Away 2 Months After Cancer Diagnosis
Heartbreaking news from the modeling world: former America’s Next Top Model contestant Jael Strauss has passed away just two months after receiving breast cancer diagnosis, reports say. Jael revealed to fans on Thanksgiving that she entered hospice care, and knew the end was coming. “First night in hospice. So many things I never knew about life. Or death. So many things,” she wrote on Facebook. She reportedly passed away on Dec. 4 at just 34 years old.
Jael has been incredibly open with her fans about both her disease and financial struggles. On Oct. 23 she told fans about a new port she had gotten, writing: “Port life. Installed yesterday. Used today. Felt like my skin got snapped into, strange feels👽 #f–kcancer #chemotherapy #hope.”
On Oct. 10 she launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for treatment, writing, “as I exist closer to death than I have ever been, I am scared. I really need your help – donations, kind words of support, and prayers are completely welcome and absolutely needed. I have stage four metastatic breast cancer, and there is NO cure. ‘NO CURE’ ?.. #f–kcancer #cancersucks #breastcancer #gofundme #pleasehelp.” In just one month, Jael raised over $18,000.
Jael had been celebrating five years of sobriety just before finding out about her tragic diagnosis. She appeared on Dr. Phil in 2012 to come clean about her addictions and seek help. She called getting clean in 2013 “a miracle” recently, and hoped that another would save her from the cancer. Sadly, she succumbed to her battle far too young. We wish her family peace in this devastating time.
