Niece Waidhofer, a model and influencer with more than four million followers on Instagram, has died. She was 31.
According to TMZ, which first broke the story, Waidhofer's family said she died by suicide in Houston, Texas. The family also released a statement to TMZ saying, "Sadly, Niece took her own life after a long battle with mental health issues."
"She was very open with her followers about her struggles, even wanting to help followers who also suffered," the statement continued.
Following the tragic news, TMZ reports a non-profit will be established in Waidhofer's honor and it'll be called "Peace from Niece," which will benefit mental health awareness and provide grants for mental illness research.
Law enforcement sources told the outlet that police got a call from a concerned family member sometime last month and asked that they check on Niece at her Houston home. According to TMZ, police followed through on the welfare check and that's when they discovered her body.
It seems fans knew something was amiss when Waidhofer, who had amassed 4.2 million followers on Instagram alone, wiped out her account and left only three posts, from 2015, 2017 and March 25. TMZ reports that the fan suspicions were right, because Waidhofer nearly wiped out her account in the weeks leading up to her death.
"Niece was more than her struggles. She was beautiful and kind, sensitive and funny, creative and talented, generous and compassionate, thoughtful and challenging," the family continued in their statement. "While it is so very painful to say goodbye, we take comfort knowing she is reunited with her father, her three grandparents, her Uncle Rusty, and her beloved Puff; and that she is now free to be herself and, finally, at peace."
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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