Crafting YouTube star Melanie Ham has died at the age of 36 after a battle with cancer, her husband Robert revealed on her Instagram account.
Taking to his wife's account, Robert shared a very heartfelt tribute alongside a series of images of the couple and their two children.
He began the heartbreaking message: "It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness I share the news of the passing of my sweet, amazing, beautiful wife Melanie. If you’ve been following our journey I'm sure you were, like us, hopeful she could defeat this insidious disease.
"Over the past few months things have been progressively getting worse and we’re thankful that we made it to this point through the holidays and tried to make every moment count. We are short 9 days of our 16 year anniversary."
The grieving husband went on to explain how hard his "warrior queen" wife, as well as the medical staff taking care of her, fought against her illness.
He continued: "Despite the deep grief my family and I feel today we want to celebrate an amazing woman and a life well-lived. She loved passionately, created beautifully, provided abundantly and was my best friend all the way to the end.
"There will be more details about a ceremony shortly. Please feel free to share your own photos, memories and projects of Melanie that inspired you through the years. She was an extraordinary woman and God has another beautiful angel."
"She can now walk, and sing, and dance in a way her body did not allow over the last few months. She relied on her faith in Jesus all the way to the end and she will always be with me," he added.
Also in the lengthy post, Robert expressed his gratitude for all the gifts, messages, and prayers he received from loved ones in the wake of the tragic news.
Over the last couple of weeks, the post has racked up over 16,000 likes and nearly 5,000 comments.
Paying tribute to the talented content creator, one fan wrote: "I am so, so sorry to learn of Melanie’s passing. I was praying for her and I am deeply saddened by the news. I met Melanie thanks to the blogging world and her kindness and smile always lit up the rooms she walked into. Robert, my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. I am so, so sorry."
Another tribute read: "She helped so many people through her videos. She was a teacher of so many skills! I’m so sorry for your loss, Robert. Melanie was a wonderful woman."
A third said: "I've thought of her so many times the last few days. I learned to quilt just this past year by watching her videos, her beautiful soul came through the screen, and she felt like an old friend. I'm so incredibly sorry for your loss, so sad to hear this news."
On November 20, 2020, Melanie uploaded a YouTube video in which she spoke candidly about her cancer treatment.
She explained to her viewers that she had been diagnosed with epithelioid angiomyolipoma, which is a rare form of sarcoma - meaning a "group of cancers that begin in the bones and in the soft tissues," as stated by the Mayo Clinic.
The YouTuber's channel, which had managed to accumulate more than 810,000 subscribers, featured beginners tutorials on crocheting, quilting, and sewing. Her very last video, uploaded on April 30, 2021, was a beginner's guide for those learning how to crochet.
Our thoughts are with Melanie's loved ones at this difficult time.
