Sydney Towle shared emotional final message before death from bile duct cancer aged 26
TikTok star Sydney Towle revealed the message she 'always told people' in one of her final interviews just months before her tragic death.
Sydney was diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma, at the age of 23. Since then, she documented her life living with the disease on social media.
“I would just remind people, what I've said to you already, is to treat people with kindness,” she said on the Question Everything podcast in November. “That is literally the biggest thing that I could tell anyone.”
Elsewhere, Sydney told those listening to 'treat people with compassion and empathy,' and the way 'you want to be treated'.
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“It sounds so cliche, and it's such a common saying, but I feel like we never know what someone is going through," the 26-year-old added.
“If you could spread a little bit of kindness, a little bit of positivity goes such a long way for someone else, and it could make their day, their week," she added, concluding by saying that was what 'she always told people'.
Sydney's death was announced by her family on August 6, confirming that she had sadly passed away on August 5.
"We are so proud of how hard Sydney fought and for sharing her journey with so many people," her family said in a statement.
Her brother, Austin Towle, posted a photo of his sister standing on a mountain peak, all smiles as she lifted her arms in the air.
“Rest in Peace Sydney Elizabeth Towle. November 15th 1999-August 5th 2026," he wrote in white text over the image.
“An endless ray of sunshine. A daughter, sister, and friend to so many.”
He also told his sister's followers on social media that the 26-year-old 'went peacefully' in the night following her 'almost three year long battle with Cholangiocarcinoma'.
Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer 'that forms in the slender tubes (bile ducts) that carry the digestive fluid bile,' as per Mayo Clinic.
Bile ducts connect the liver to the small intestine, and gall bladder.
The illness is said to be most common in those over 50, however, can occur at any age.
It is often referred to as the 'silent killer,' due to the fact it can have 'no obvious symptoms' in the body.
As per Mayo Clinic, symptoms include:
- Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
- Intensely itchy skin
- White-colored stools
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain on the right side, just below the ribs
- Losing weight without trying
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Dark urine
In August 2026, Sydney's brother revealed she had been moved to a hospice, as he penned on TikTok: “Sydney has been moved to hospice and is surrounded by her friends and family."
He then thanked everyone for their ongoing love and support throughout his sister's journey.
In the 26-year-old's final TikTok video, which was posted at the end of July, the TikTok creator posted a video of the band, Royal Otis dedicating one of their songs to her.
"sad to have missed it but so happy it happened ps it’s so hard to type but I’m trying my bets," she wrote in the caption.
The band responded: "see you next tour front row Syd."
Topics: TikTok, Social Media
Kiesha Dosanjh