Woman, 49, issues heartbreaking statement before her death following Alzheimer's battle

Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing.

At the weekend, it was announced that influencer Rebecca Luna had died on Saturday (25 July).

The 49-year-old based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, had shared her young-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment on TikTok.

“Rebecca passed away July 25th at approximately 1:15 p.m. surrounded by her loved ones,” a post read, telling Luna’s followers, “Thank you for your support and privacy.”

Before her death, the single mum shared a heartbreaking statement with her followers, as she chose to end her life with medical aid in dying (MAID).

Luna had revealed her diagnosis on TikTok in April 2025 and spoke openly about living with Alzheimer’s as well as advocating for MAID while a GoFundMe helped with her end-of-life expenses.

On 22 July, she announced that her MAID date had been rescheduled from early August to 10 am on Saturday.

“Prior to the dates changing for the last year and a half has been legally and medically not my choice. But for the last two weeks I’ve been making the decision,” Luna explained in her final video.

“And it’s a hard decision to make, because I’m living in a body that doesn’t feel comfortable, safe, good, nothing. It feels terrible. And so the idea of waiting two weeks felt like too much.”

She added: “This is when I get to prioritise myself, and I haven’t done that my whole life.”

Throughout the statement, Luna said she’d ‘suffered enough’, as she made peace with her circumstances.

“But at the same time, the suffering has brought me to this place of ‘I really know who I am and I really know that I have a good f***ing heart.’”

Ending her video, she told followers she had learned to stand up for the child version of herself that ‘nobody’ else did.

“I hope if I leave this planet that’s the only thing I teach — and that’s the only thing that somebody gets something out of — is that you just need to act your way into loving yourself,” the influencer said.

“If I can do it, you can do it too.”

Luna had raised money towards her 'End of Life expenses on GoFundMe.

"Hi, as a lot of you know I was diagnosed at age 48 with Young Onset Alzheimer’s," she wrote.

"I’m 49 and I will be accessing MAID as my decline has come faster than I had hoped. Ive been a single mama (proudly) all my life so My lovely followers suggested I do a go fund me for the end of life expenses so I don’t leave my loved ones behind with that responsibility ontop of their own grief. All blessings and well wishes are warmly appreciated and I love you all. I couldn’t have come this far without you."

Young-onset Alzheimer’s

Early-onset Alzheimer’s is a rare form of dementia that affects people below the age of 65.

While the symptoms of young onset are similar to those of late onset, they can be harder to recognise. That’s because memory loss isn’t always one of the fist symptoms in younger people.

Per Alzheimer’s Research UK, symptoms can include:

· Trouble finding the right words (aphasia) and following conversations

· Changes in personality and behaviour that may be subtle at first

· People may become unsteady, have problems moving around or develop tremors or stiffness

Symptoms will get worse over time and become more noticeable.

Other symptoms can include:

· Memory problems which can start to interfere with everyday life

· Confusion and disorientation. People may become confused more easily, get lost or lose track of time.

· Visual problems, difficulty recognising objects and judging speed or distance.

· Daily tasks that involve planning and problem solving like paying bills, cooking and driving may become difficult to do.

If you've been affected by dementia or Alzheimer's and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact the Alzheimer's Association via 800.272.3900 open 24 hours seven days a week.

For advice, support, and more information, you can contact the nurse-led specialist team at Compassion in Dying via their helpline 0800 999 2434. You can also email them at [email protected].

Additionally, if you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.