Ellen DeGeneres' heartbreaking tribute to fan who came on show with heart condition after his death
Topics: Health, Ellen DeGeneres, Celebrity, Cancer
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/TheEllenShow
Topics: Health, Ellen DeGeneres, Celebrity, Cancer
Ellen DeGeneres has issued a heartfelt tribute to a boy who appeared on her show years ago following the news of his death.
DeGeneres, 67, who called the young fan her ‘only boyfriend’, posted a video on social media today to speak about him.
Tayt Andersen was a huge fan of DeGeneres and appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show numerous times, sharing with the talk show host and her audience that he had a congenital heart condition.
According to a GoFundMe page for Tayt, he was born with half a heart and went through 12 surgeries before he turned nine.
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Then, when he was 10, he received a heart transplant, but was sadly diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoma.
In 2024, he was then diagnosed with bladder cancer, and in June this year, he learned how it had spread to his pelvis, spine, abdomen, chest and neck. Sadly, his prognosis was three to four months of life.
Tayt’s family revealed he passed away in the early hours of the morning on September 26.
DeGeneres, who now lives in the UK following Donald Trump taking office for his second term, reacted to the news and spoke of their bond and his life.
“We had a very special guest on the show several times, and his name is Tayt,” she said in the clip. “And he thought that I was his girlfriend, and so I told him he was my boyfriend, which shocked my wife.
"But he was a very special little human being, and just brought joy and life and laughter into every room that he was in."
"I will miss him," she said emotionally, and added some moments from their time together on the show at the end.
In response, Tayt’s mom, Chrissy Becker, commented: “We love you so much. Thank you for being his girlfriend you gave him so much strength.”
Tayt’s family had announced his death via an Instagram post on his page, which read: "Our hearts are absolutely shattered as we share the news we never wanted to write: Our sweet, strong warrior, Tayt, was released from his bodily prison early this morning, at 1:30 a.m. CT, surrounded by the fierce love of his family.
"While our souls feel shattered and lost by this unimaginable grief, we are so thankful that Tayt is finally free. No more pain, no more appointments, no more treatments."
It continued: "Tayt was loved by so many, and he impacted countless lives with his incredible smile, his quiet strength, his kindness, and his beautiful love.
“Last weekend, after taking a turn for the worse due to an infection, Tayt fought one last battle. He was so alert and responsive on Sunday, but by the night, he was in pain. After a long night, he finally found peace and drifted off to sleep around 4:00 a.m. Monday.
"He remained asleep and unresponsive, resting comfortably, until he passed away peacefully early this morning."
The family ended the message with wishes for everyone to hold the family close in their thoughts, writing: "Please keep Chrissy, Tayt, and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this crushing grief.
"There are truly no words to describe this pain; we are just moving through this painful process, grateful for every moment we had with our amazing boy. Please give us grace during this time."
To donate to the GoFundMe set up by Tayt's family, click here.