TikTok influencer Sydney Towle, who documented her journey living with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, has died at the age of 26.

Towle’s family announced her death on Thursday, saying she passed away from complications linked to cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer that had spread to other parts of her body.

In a video shared on TikTok, her brother Austin, alongside their mother, said Towle died peacefully after an almost three-year battle with the disease.

“Syd went peacefully last night after an almost three-year-long battle with cholangiocarcinoma,” he said.

Towle, who had more than one million followers on TikTok and over 200,000 followers on Instagram, became widely known for openly sharing her experiences with cancer treatment, chemotherapy and the realities of living with a life-threatening illness.

Through her posts, she documented the difficult moments of her journey alongside moments of joy, hope and determination, inspiring thousands of people around the world.

Her family described her as someone who used her platform to raise awareness about rare cancers and encourage people to advocate for their health.

“We are so proud of how hard Sydney fought and for sharing her journey with so many people,” the family said.

“She wanted to raise awareness for rare cancers and was passionate about promoting self-advocacy. We will continue her legacy and honour her in every way we can.”

Following news of her death, thousands of followers flooded her social media pages with tributes, describing her as a source of inspiration and positivity.

Actress Alyssa Milano was among those who paid tribute, writing: “Sweet angel. Fly high. Praying for all who loved her. She is really something special.”

Despite her diagnosis, Towle continued pursuing her dreams and recently fulfilled her ambition of becoming a model by walking the runway at Miami Swim Week for The Chemo Club x Post Swim show.

In the months before her death, she continued sharing updates from hospital, including her decision to seek another specialist after doctors recommended end-of-life care.

Towle often spoke about finding beauty and strength despite her illness, sharing images of her scars and encouraging her followers to appreciate life.

“I have only recently started seeing the resilience and beauty in this body,” she wrote in one post, celebrating the strength she found through her battle.

Towle’s family said they would continue to honour her legacy and the awareness she created for people living with rare cancers.