At the end of May, TikTok lost one of its brightest young stars.
Anna Grace Phelan was just 19 when she passed — but not before sharing one final, emotional post that left the internet in tears.
What she revealed in those last moments will break your heart…
The TikTok community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of 19-year-old Anna Grace Phelan, a young woman who touched thousands by openly documenting her journey with brain cancer.
Phelan passed away on Friday, May 23, 2025, just months after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. Her family shared the devastating news through an emotional message posted on her TikTok account — a platform where she’d found support, comfort, and community during the final stretch of her life.
”With sorrow-filled hearts,” the post began, as her parents honored their daughter’s remarkable courage and unshakable faith. They described how Anna Grace’s strength had not only lifted their spirits but had also inspired strangers who followed her online battle.
”Her unshakable belief in God had become a source of comfort and inspiration, not only to them but to the many strangers who had come to care for her through a screen.”
The post closed with the Bible verse John 3:16 and a moving instrumental of “Our Love Was Beautiful” by Straight White Teeth. In the comments, thousands of TikTok users created a digital vigil — posting prayers, broken heart emojis, and messages of remembrance.
Posted 7 days before her death
But perhaps it was her final TikTok video, posted just a week before her death on May 16, that left the most lasting impression.
In the short, tender clip, Anna Grace appears in her bedroom, her golden hair draped over her shoulders and a nasal cannula helping her breathe.
Despite her clearly declining condition — her voice slurred and her movements slowed — she beamed as she held up a care package from former NFL quarterback and Christian speaker Tim Tebow.
Inside the package were several gifts: a warm sweater, a devotional book written by Tebow, a journal, and a handwritten letter.
Her voice barely above a whisper, she thanked Tebow for the kind gesture, showing each item to the camera with trembling hands.
”In those final, tender moments on camera, Phelan radiated sincerity and humility,” the video’s caption noted. The TikTok has since gone viral, drawing tears and admiration from viewers who praised her grace and gratitude.
In another video, just before her passing, Anna Grace Phelan also shared a deeply emotional update with her nearly 400,000 TikTok followers — an update that now stands as her final message.
”Things haven’t been good. My tumor grew and it’s in the area where I can’t breathe and it can’t be operated,” Phelan explained. ”So, I just want to say thank you for all the prayers. It would take a miracle, but I’m not giving up yet. If you keep praying for me, I think that I’ll make it”.
In the heartbreaking clip, Phelan spoke candidly about how much her condition had worsened.
”I don’t see very well. I don’t walk or shower alone, or eat alone,” she revealed. ”My whole right side is numb… that’s pretty much where we’re at,” she continued. ”I’m not doing cancer pills right now, there isn’t [sic] options for me.”
She ended the video with a message of faith and hope: “So we’re just going to hope and pray that I get better soon… so yeah, just keep me in your prayers. It will take a miracle, but thank you all.”
Beyond the screen
Anna Grace’s story went beyond the screen, too. A touching obituary published by Evans Funeral Home in Jefferson, Georgia, gave a glimpse into the life she lived before her diagnosis.
Born in Orlando, Florida, on October 12, 2005, Anna Grace had recently graduated from Jefferson High School. She had dreams of starting college in the fall of 2024 and worked as a receptionist at a local cancer and dermatology clinic. Her love for her faith was evident in her dedication to church camp and youth group activities, and she was deeply involved in her local Christian community.
Her obituary shared that she was “surrounded by a large and loving family,” including her parents, brother, grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins — all now left to mourn the devastating void she leaves behind.
Her funeral service was scheduled for May 29 at Galilee Christian Church, followed by burial at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, her family asked for donations to be made to The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, a cause that became deeply personal to them.
Her fight began in 2024
Anna Grace’s fight began in late 2024, just as she was preparing to begin college. It was then she received the crushing diagnosis of a diffuse midline glioma with the H3K27M mutation — an inoperable Grade 4 brain tumor with a grim prognosis.
”This is definitely the hardest news I’ve ever received,” she said when she received her cancer diagnosis in September 2024. ”By all means, this is not easy. Just going to trust in the Lord and try and keep pushing forward.”
As the illness progressed, her family launched a GoFundMe to support her treatment, which has since raised more than $66,000. Following her passing, the page was updated with a heartfelt message from her parents, who promised to manage the donations transparently and expressed deep gratitude to those who had prayed and supported their daughter.
Her online presence was marked by raw honesty. In one of her earliest videos from August 2024, Anna Grace sat in a pink sweatshirt that read, “I’m literally just a girl,” and recounted the whirlwind of symptoms and misdiagnoses that led to her final diagnosis.
Facial and leg numbness
At first, doctors suspected Bell’s Palsy when she experienced facial and leg numbness. But when medications failed to help, more testing revealed the devastating truth. She underwent multiple MRIs, a spinal tap, bloodwork, and brain surgery for a biopsy — all of which she described to her followers in heartbreaking detail.
Still, she never let despair win. “I really do think that we’re gonna fight this and beat this, whatever it is,” she told viewers at the time, her voice soft but hopeful.
Her bravery, vulnerability, and deep faith resonated far beyond her screen. In the face of incredible pain, Anna Grace gave others hope — and reminded the world what it means to live with grace, even in the hardest moments.
To her family, friends, and all who followed her: we extend our deepest condolences. Rest in peace, Anna Grace. Your light continues to shine.
