A dad of five with stomach cancer warned followers to change their lifestyle ‘before it’s no longer a choice,’ then died five days later at 32

Marcel Johnson, a dad of five who documented his battle with stage 4 stomach cancer online, passed away on November 2. He was only 32 years old. His wife Taylor shared the news on Instagram, and the loss is difficult for his family and the community of followers he built across TikTok and Instagram.

As reported by LADbible, only five days before his death, Marcel posted a final video on TikTok. It featured a look back at October 29, 2025, showing him smiling with Taylor. The video then switched to footage of his medical treatments and time spent in a hospital bed. He included a message on the screen that served as a warning to others. It read, “You better make a lifestyle change, before it’s no longer a choice.”

Marcel received his diagnosis in August 2025. He chose to be open about his journey, showing his followers the reality of his treatment. This included more than 20 rounds of chemotherapy. While he gained hundreds of thousands of followers, his posts were often raw and honest about the toll the illness took on his body.

He shared his journey with his followers

In an Instagram post from last month, he spoke about the exhaustion he felt. He wrote, “I’ve got to choose peace this time. I may not get back up from another treatment.” He explained that he could not walk more than a few steps or get himself dressed. He mentioned being down 125lbs and feeling defeated. At that time, he told his followers, “I can’t continue this, I’m homesick.”

Despite these challenges, there were moments of joy. He shared an update where he was back home, smiling with one of his sons. A GoFundMe page was created to help with the costs of his treatment. 

Following his death, the page was updated to state, “As you probably know now, Marcel has passed away after a long and tough battle of Stage 4 Stomach Cancer.” The update also noted, “He beat the odds the doctor gave him but ultimately he was at peace and ready to not be in pain.” The funds are now being directed to support Taylor and their five sons.

Taylor expressed her grief on Instagram, sharing the details of his final moments. She wrote, “November 2 2026 @ 445pm. I lost a whole entire half of me. He fought so hard for so long. He was so tired & exhausted & in so much pain.” She described how the day before he died, Marcel told her and Dedric, “I’m ready to go.” 

She wrote about the difficulty of the situation, saying, “I truly don’t even have words right now. I feel like this can’t be real life. How can this be real life. I thought I was going to wake up and he was still going to be here beside me.” She finished her post by saying, “I love him with my whole entire being and life will absolutely never ever be the same.”