Influencer Gracious Teiyan has died at age 26.
Kenyan news outlet Tuko reported that Teiyan was transported to a hospital after experiencing severe migraines on September 14. She died two days later.
Teiyan’s fiancé, Paul Simat, told the outlet that she died from sinus thrombosis — which the Cleveland Clinic describes as a rare condition where blood clots form in the brain.
“Fare thee well, my love. I prayed and pleaded with God to bring you back to me, but He chose to take you home instead,” Simat wrote via TikTok after her death. “My heart aches, and I may never understand why — but I choose to trust Him, for His ways are higher than mine. You will forever remain in my heart until we meet again.”
Alongside the message, Simat paid tribute to Teiyan — who amassed more than 328,000 followers on TikTok — by uploading several solo images of the influencer and others of the couple smiling. In one pic, Simat and Teiyan shared a sweet kiss as they posed for the camera.
After Simat’s post, several users shared their condolences. “My brother, I don’t even know what to say. I’m completely shattered. I’m so shocked I can’t breathe and I haven’t stopped crying since I heard,” one user wrote. “My heart is aching so badly for you. To lose someone as incredible as Gracious … it’s just unimaginable. I am in genuine pain for you, my friend. I love you man, I’m so sorry.”
In a separate TikTok upload, Simat shared a video of him opening his diploma from the University of Nairobi — where he graduated days after Teiyan’s death. In the clip, Simat showed the dedication he wrote for his late fiancée.
In the message, he gave thanks to Teyian for her “unwavering support, encouragement and belief” in him that has been a “source of strength throughout this journey.” He added, “Your love and commitment have been a constant reminder that together, we can achieve even greater milestones.”
Simat captioned the upload, “I thought forever meant we would walk through life together, no matter what. I believed in us in a way I’ve never believed in anything else. In just two days, we were meant to stand side by side and celebrate the success of my graduation — a milestone I longed to share with you. But now forever feels like an endless stretch without you in it, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll spend the rest of my life missing the only person who ever truly felt like home.”
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