A travel influencer known for her online vlogs has tragically passed away after a severe illness that began with her collapsing at a New Year's Eve party in the Philippines.
Solingen-born internet star Vanessa Konopka, 28, was diagnosed with pneumonia and severe liver damage, leaving her bedbound in hospital for months, unable to eat or walk, according to her devastated boyfriend.
Vanessa, who ran a successful vlogging channel called "Happiness Crossing" with her Brazilian partner Fernando, was left unable to speak, sit up by herself or go outside for fresh air.
Despite a brief period of improvement that allowed her to update her followers online, Vanessa's condition worsened over time. Her fans grew increasingly concerned as video clips showed her skin turning yellow from jaundice.
However, on February 20, Fernando shared a hopeful update, stating: "Vanessa is out of danger now, she reunited with her mother and they are both now in Boracay [Philippines]. They will wait a few more days until Vanessa gets strong enough so she can go back to Germany for treatment."
Fernando launched a fundraising campaign to bring Vanessa home via air ambulance in order to reunite her with her family, reports the Mirror.
Unfortunately, within a fortnight of a promising update, Vanessa's condition deteriorated significantly, prompting a distraught Fernando to reveal on March 7 that the vlogger had passed away.
"Once again, I can only ask for your prayers so that God may bring comfort to the hearts of her loved ones. I trust in him, I know he is with Vanessa and I know God is always with us," he wrote in a message to his followers.
"Kushka, if you are perhaps reading this somewhere, thank you so much for teaching me how to love myself, it doesn't matter what other people think, she showed me how to love myself, and how to follow my dreams. I will forever love you and we may see each other again."
Fernando and Vanessa, who first met in Australia, had taken the leap and settled down in the Philippines in December 2022, laying roots in the vibrant island of Boracay, where they frequently created content for their vlogging adventures.
