Lil Tay, an internet sensation infamous for her scandalous online personality and viral videos, recently shared that she almost died due to a life-threatening condition. Lil Tay had a tumor in her heart and underwent open-heart surgery on September 13, 2024. The news was first reported on her official social media platforms to millions of her followers, which invited a wave of concern, speculation, and support from fans across the globe.
On September 12, Lil Tay’s camp posted a video that went viral showing a doctor pointing to an ultrasound image of her heart, indicating what was described as her alarming “bubble.” It was later on that the “bubble” turned out to be a tumor precariously stuck near her heart with life-threatening tendencies. The accompanying caption was a request for prayers and positive thoughts, as the surgery was scheduled for the next day.
The representative-confirmed medical procedure was an open-heart surgery to be able to remove the tumor and stop further complications. A critical update was given by her team on September 13 that the surgery had been successful and Lil Tay was on the road to recovery. Lil Tay’s camp has released a statement of deep appreciation to the medical doctors who carried out the risky surgery and to her fans who have flooded social media with words of encouragement.
“We are extremely grateful to the doctors and surgeons who didn’t stop working to save Lil Tay’s life,”
reps for Lil Tay said in a statement.
“To her fans, your prayers and positive energy have not gone unnoticed, and we are thankful for the overwhelming support during this difficult time.”
The teenager is currently recuperating in a hospital and her team has ascertained that the worst is behind her, though the road to full recovery may take some time.
The medical experts have taken the pain to explain the severity of Lil Tay’s case by explaining the exact type of surgery that she had. Dr. Allen Cheng is a cardiac surgeon specialized in pediatric and adolescent heart conditions who said,
“Though rare, heart tumors can be life-threatening if left untreated.”.
According to Dr. Cheng,
“Open-heart surgery is often the only option when tumors are found near or inside the heart.”
He says that the success of such operations may depend on the tumor’s size and location, but again, the key to success is early detection and intervention. While representatives for Lil Tay have not released further information about the kind of tumor she had, experts say recovery after surgery can be very difficult.
“Recovery from open-heart surgery can take weeks, sometimes months,”
Dr. Cheng said.
“Physical rehabilitation and careful monitoring are extremely important to make sure there are no complications.”
Others immediately came to the defense of Lil Tay, sending prayers and well-wishes her way, while more skeptical corners of the internet pointed to the tumultuous history she’s shared with fans. In 2023 alone, she was involved in that very bizarre and deeply disturbing death hoax that made many question the validity of any news arising from her team. The hoax stating that Lil Tay had died became a consequence of some legal disputes with her father. The fallout from that incident left many fans questioning the credibility of any news surrounding her.
Because of this controversial backdrop, few devotees have taken the recent diagnosis of heart tumor seriously and suspected whether it was true this time or another publicity stunt. Representatives moved long to counter this belief: yes, this time it is true; the threat is real and surgery has to be performed if she needs to be saved.
