Much-loved social media star Billy LeBlanc has been plunged into his worst nightmare this week, after waking up to discover that his girlfriend Natalie Clark had tragically died after contracting a fatal infection in the night.
The 44-year-old broke the news to his devoted online fanbase today (Wednesday 17 July), revealing that his 41-year-old partner had passed away following contact with a contaminated raw oyster.
Natalie died after consuming the popular seafood dish, before contracting a bacteria known as Vibrio Vulnificus, which is found in some bodies of coastal water.
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The lethal virus enters the body when animals who have been living in these waters are consumed either raw or undercooked.
Taking to social media following his life-altering blow, Billy explained: "We ate oysters and we both felt sick for a couple days and then I woke up and she was gone."
Billy first skyrocketed to the spotlight for his former family account Bratayleys, which saw him, his ex wife Katie LeBlanc and their three kids - Annie, Hayley and Caleb - giving viewers an insight into the ups and downs of their daily life. Nowadays he has a solo account, on which Natalia often appeared.
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A heartbroken Billy continued in the caption of an Instagram snap of the loved-up couple: "I will always remember how we got lost everywhere together. I will always love her and miss her.
"Be safe and hold your loved ones tight, you never know when it’ll be the last time you see them."
The content creator went on to explain that he has a vague memory of spending a total of 12 days in hospital with his partner, after contracting the deadly virus himself.
Eight of those days were spent receiving intensive care, after which he thankfully recovered, though Natalie did not.
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"I don't know what to say. I'm trying to figure my life out now, and what's next for me, so thank you for all your love and support to everyone who gave that," he added.
Natalie leaves behind a 17-year-old son named Julian Clark, who is an aspiring actor with his own successful YouTube channel.
One of her last social media posts was a thank you to her teenage son, who seemingly took her out on a day trip for Mother's Day back in March.
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"Thank you son for the best date ever! You are the best thing that ever happened to me," she wrote at the time.
"We had the best talks to-and-fro and in between. I cannot wait to witness his future."
Billy's own mother Yvette Berthelot LeBlanc has since taken to social media to issue a tribute to Natalie.
"Natalie lost her life and Billy was very close to death in the ICU for 8 days," she wrote on Facebook.
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"Please continue to pray for Natalie’s son Julian for her family and for Billy, both for his health and his heart."
Topics: Health, Celebrity, Social Media, US News
Rhianna Benson