Canadian influencer dead at 49 after euthanasia for Alzheimer's

A 49-year-old Canadian influencer battling Alzheimer's has taken her own life through the country's assisted suicide program after telling fans she was living in a body that no longer made her feel comfortable or safe, the New York Post reports.

According to her oldest daughter, Maya, on a fundraising page, Rebecca Luna died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on Saturday.

Luna, a single mother of two from British Columbia, was diagnosed last year with young-onset Alzheimer's, a rare form of dementia that affects people under 65. She documented her illness on social media, amassing a following of more than 90,000.

Luna revealed last week that she had moved the date of her death up to Saturday because of her declining health. The TikToker told fans she planned to spend her final days with friends and family, adding that she no longer felt safe or well.

"It's been a hard 24 hours, obviously. This is not what I wanted. I would have never chosen young-onset Alzheimer's for myself," she said.

"It's just taken so much from me except for my good looks," she added.

Luna also said that while her life had been good overall, it had also included traumatic experiences.

"I don't wanna be dying before I'm 50, but I have had a good life, actually," she said.

"I've had a really traumatic life. I've already gone through enough suffering. I've suffered enough in this world. But at the same time, the suffering has brought me to this place of, 'I really know who I am, and I really know that I have a good f--king heart. I'm so loyal. I will fight for you till the end of time.'"

Luna reflected on her life, including her experiences with abuse, neglect and later addiction.

"That's a lot for anyone to go through, right?" she said. "To be as sober as long as I have and then to get through this disease without even picking up a drink or drug is amazing. Most people can't do that.

"It's because I've worked my ass off. I didn't just sit back and go to a meeting and hope that I'd get better. I have been kicking ass."

Canada legalized Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in June 2016, originally limiting it to patients with a terminal illness or those whose natural death was considered reasonably foreseeable.

That changed in March 2021, when the Canadian government expanded the law by removing the requirement that a person's death be reasonably foreseeable to qualify for assisted dying.

Under the law, those seeking MAID must be at least 18 years old, capable of making their own medical decisions, and eligible for publicly funded health care. They must also make a voluntary request and provide informed consent.

To qualify, a person must also have what the Canadian government describes as a "grievous and irremediable medical condition."