FITNESS influencer and ovarian cancer researcher Stephanie Buttermore has died suddenly at the age of 36.
Her fiancé and partner of 10 years, Jeff Nippard confirmed the shocking news in a statement on Instagram.
“It is with profound sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Jeff’s fiancée and partner of ten years, Stephanie,” his team wrote in a statement on Friday.
“As many of you know, Stephanie meant the world to Jeff. She will be remembered for her warmth and compassion, her love for her family, and her PhD research on ovarian cancer.
“We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this tragic loss. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.”
The cause of her death is not known.
On Valentine’s Day, Jeff shared an image of the loved-up couple beaming into the camera.
“Relationshipmaxxing with tea time to lower cortisol levels,” he wrote in the caption followed by a heart.
“Love you forever,” Stephanie replied.
The bittersweet post has since been flooded with comments sending prayers to Jeff and other members of the influencer’s family.
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“Be strong Jeff, my heart is broken,” one wrote.
“Heaven gained an amazing angel. Someone who cared so deeply for others. Praying for you Jeff and her family,” fellow influencer Heidi Somers Guzman commented.
“I can’t believe it .. I watched her all the time .. this is so unfair.. take all the time to grieve and honour her Jeff, we’re all here for you, you and Steph were the biggest inspiration and we all loved her,” a third said.
Buttermore, from Canada, gained over 500,000 followers on Instagram by sharing her fitness and nutrition journey but announced in 2024 that she would be stepping back from social media.
In her last update on May 20, 2024, she said her mental health had become “the best it’s ever been” as her “previously crippling” anxiety levels reduced to almost nothing.
However, she admitted to missing her community and updates from her friends.
“Overall the pros have outweighed the cons for me. Sometimes I still feel a void in my day-to-day life from being so removed from this app, but the positives from taking this break has been worth it,” she said.
“But believe me when I say I Iove and miss you, I truly mean it.”
More to follow…