Influencer Gracious Teiyan Dies Suddenly of Rare Brain Clot After Migraine Battle

23 September 2025

Gracious Teiyan. Gracious Teiyan/Facebook

Kenyan lifestyle influencer Gracious Teiyan, 26, has died following complications from a rare type of blood clot in her brain after suffering severe migraines. Teiyan, well known across TikTok and Facebook with more than 329,000 followers, reportedly became ill on Sunday, September 14. She complained of intense headaches and was admitted to hospital. Her fiancé, Paul Simat, later shared that she died on September 16.

The diagnosis was sinus thrombosis, a condition in which blood clots form in the sinus cavities of the brain. The condition is rare and can be life-threatening. Teiyan’s fiancé explained that her migraines had been unusually intense and persistent. She sought medical help, but despite treatment her condition worsened until her tragic death.

Teiyan grew up in Ngong, Kenya, studied at Mount Kenya University, and eventually lived in Nairobi. She built a following through her lifestyle content sharing moments of everyday life, travel, fashion, and reflections. Her presence on social media had been warm and relatable. To many followers she was not just an influencer but a friend who offered bright, hopeful energy amid posts about simple human experience.

Her passing has shocked her audience. On the day following her death fans flocked to her last posts leaving messages like “heaven must have needed your goodness more than we did” and “your kindness left a mark.” Simat himself posted grief-stricken reflections. He revealed that the couple had planned to celebrate his graduation from University of Nairobi together just days later. Instead the occasion is now marked by sorrow. He described how he prayed and pleaded for her to recover, yet she passed away. “You will forever remain in my heart until we meet again” he wrote.

Teiyan’s death has raised awareness of sinus thrombosis, which many know little about. Migraine is often seen as painful and annoying but rarely fatal. A clot in the brain elevates risks dramatically. Symptoms like severe headache, possibly with nausea, visual changes or neurological decline are warning signs. For Teiyan the headaches were severe enough that they led her to hospital. Many medical professionals say rapid recognition and treatment are critical. Delays can worsen outcomes.

Her community remembers her beyond the tragedy. She had built connections not just through polished content but through vulnerability and joy. Stories from fans and friends recall Teiyan’s kindness in comments, her supportive demeanor in collaborations and her willingness to share both triumphs and struggles. In a digital space often ruled by perfection she offered authenticity. That legacy seems now more poignant amid news of her passing.

Simat’s posts show a man trying to hold onto what remains: memory, love, the small moments ahead that will never come. He shared video of himself opening his diploma from the University of Nairobi, a moment he hoped to share with her. The images evoke both achievement and loss. For many reading his words grief is not abstract. It is recognition of a life ended too soon.

There are also questions. Friends and online supporters ask whether this could have been prevented. Was medical care timely enough? Were warning signs taken seriously? Teiyan’s death provokes concern about how migraines are treated and how rare conditions like brain clots can be overlooked until it is too late. It also puts strain on medical systems in parts of the world where access to advanced emergency care is unequal.

Social media platforms reflect collective mourning. Her final uploads attract tributes, remembrances, and shared stories of how she mattered. People talk about how the everyday beauty she posted helped them feel seen. Some say they will miss her voice most of all. Her content may no longer be updated but for many it represented something hopeful: that even in ordinary life there are moments to celebrate.

Gracious Teiyan’s death reminds us that public figures are human first. Behind vibrant posts and smiling selfies there can be pain that goes unseen until too late. It underscores the fragility of health even for young people. Her story is a warning and a call: when intense symptoms like migraines arise especially when accompanied by unusual signs seek help. For her community it is a moment to reckon with loss and to hold onto her memory in the way she held onto daily light, kindness and connection.