TikTok star and crystal jewelry store owner Kelsi Bergmann has reassured her 1.6 million followers that she’s “alive and well” after rumors of her death began circulating online.
In a video shared on Bergmann’s TikTok account late Friday night, the Pennsylvania influencer said she had received several phone calls and text messages from her family and friends asking her if she was OK, but she wasn’t sure why.
“I did not know what was going on until I saw my TikTok comments where people were actually commenting that I passed away [Thursday],” she said.
@bigsexy81 Replying to @Samantha Lynn
♬ original sound – Bigsexy81
After “going down a rabbit hole” trying to figure out how the rumor got started, Bergmann said she found a video about another woman named Kelsi, also from Pennsylvania, who had recently died.
The video, which had gone viral, reportedly had a link to Bergmann’s page, leading people to speculate about her death.
“The video is not me — I’m alive and well,” the 36-year-old entrepreneur said.
While Bergmann didn’t give any details about the person who died, some comments on her page send condolences to the family of a woman mentioned in a TikTok post Friday whose name is spelled Kelsey. Another post, shared on the platform Thursday, pays tribute to a person by the name of Kelci. It’s unclear who Bergmann was referring to.
Bergmann, a self-described “6-foot-5 masc lesbian” who rose to TikTok fame under the username BigSexy81, has built her following using humor and positivity to stand against bullying and by always choosing “love and light” over hate.
@bigsexy81 Video credit to @Vanessa 🏳️🌈 @sharpesuiting
♬ walking on a dream by empire of the sun – sophie
In Friday’s video, she thanked her followers for expressing their worries when hearing about her possible death.
“I’m just a stranger to you guys,,” she said. “And the fact that you showed me that much concern and compassion means a lot to me.”
Bergmann also addressed her late namesake’s family and friends.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” she said, offering her “condolences to each and every one of you.”
