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TikToker Joules Smith, who turned her diagnosis of an inoperable and incurable brain tumor seven months ago into an opportunity to spread awareness and joy through dancing videos, has died at age 6.
In Memoriam: Fallen Stars of 2024
One family is grieving a heartbreaking loss.
Joules Smith, a young girl who turned her diagnosis of a terminal brain tumor into an opportunity to fundraise through the joy of dance, has died. She was 6 years old.
“Unfortunately, in the early hours of Monday morning [Dec. 9],” her dad Joe Smith said in a Dec. 11 Instagram video, “our beautiful little dancing queen passed away in between me and [my wife] Elisha in our bed.”
Joules—who, earlier this year, was diagnosed with inoperable diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a brain tumor found in the brain stem, according the DIPG.org—had taken her illness as a chance to spread joy and awareness of her specific type of cancer, amassing millions of views and thousands of fans on TikTok and Instagram with her “Dance for Joules” videos.
“Joules has been an absolute inspiration to everyone and I am so proud to be her dad, as is Elisha, her mum,” Joe continued. “We take so much comfort in knowing that she inspired and touched the lives of so many people from around the world.”
Joe also took time to thank the medical teams at the Royal Marsden Hospital that provided his daughter with care over the past seven months, describing their work as “absolutely insane.”
“They allowed us to have seven months of absolute happiness, laughing, joking, and the best holidays,” he shared, “and we have met the best people.”
Joe Smith/Instagram
Joe also extended an open invite to his daughter’s funeral, set to be held later this month. “We want to give her the best and biggest send off,” he explained, “because that is what our little girl deserves.”
“She was the bravest, kindest, most beautiful little girl and we miss her so much,” Joe ended his announcement through tears. “Let's carry on dancing for our beautiful little Joules, ‘cause I know she'll still be dancing.
“Just remember, it's never goodbye,” he reminded her fans. “It's just peace out.”
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