The TikToker who Faked Cancer Gets Worse

The TikToker who faked cancer gets worse. The TikToker who faked cancer ended up in court after getting arrested over her scam. In February, TikToker Maddie Russo was arrested for faking cancer and for gaining over $37,000 dollars in gofundme donations to support her fake cancer diagnosis. After months of delays on her court hearings, Madison Russo was finally sentenced. This is where things get worse. Despite facing a potential 10 year prison sentence, Maddie was not given any jail time.

[rachael]

Anyone who has known someone who's gone through chemo can immediately see she wasn't. Sitting up in bed, full strength, color to her face, healthy hair, steady voice, makeup on. No way. "Sometimes people can't see on the outside what's happening to your body on the inside." Yeah but not chemo, it's amazing she was able to fool anyone at all.

[Moonzari]

Being from a “broken home” is never an excuse in my opinion.

[sunflower]

It makes me so mad that a scammer was able to raise $37k yet when my NINE year old niece was diagnosed with brain cancer, we couldn't raise anything!

[broquen.hearts]

This is absolutely disgusting. I just got diagnosed with Melanoma about a month ago. I’ve gone through 1 procedure already, and getting another one in less than 2 weeks. I’m 19 and I wish I didn’t have cancer, but to fake it is absolutely disgusting to me. So many of my family members have died from cancer, the oldest person in my family just passed away at 65 because of cancer. I’m so disappointed in people like this.

[stcal-b]

Watching her lip quiver during her sentencing while she was handed community service and ordered to pay back WHAT SHE STOLE, was the epitome of an entitled brat. She's sorry she got caught.

[ciomaria]

As a person who lost 2 relatives to pancreatic cancer and others to other types of cancer, I share your frustration. This kind of fraud absolutely deserved a jury trail and a prison sentence.

[jarboyo]

I absolutely hate this woman. Faking cancer at 19… like, wtf? I was halfway through 10th grade and finally happy for once, when I got diagnosed with Stage 4 Ewing Sarcoma. My own parents weren’t sure I’d make it. I WAS 16 YEARS OLD.
I’m almost 20 now, and I’ve been cancer-free for a few years, but I can never get back the people I became familiar with that died of their own cancers.
One was a middle-aged woman, she had a special needs daughter. She even had an identical presentation as me; Ewing Sarcoma in the kidney (Even though it’s a BONE cancer!). But she didn’t get good treatment like I did, and she died.
Another person was my dad’s close friend, he died of complications from Testicular Cancer. He was paralyzed (waist down I believe) and a blood clot from his leg shot up to his heart and killed him.
Then there’s a young man that lived on my old street, he had cancer for awhile. They knew he was going to die, so he was put on hospice. I can’t remember all the details, but he was at a hospital and they discharged him even though he was begging them not to. His father got him in the car, and then he died. His father actually had cancer himself.
This disease is a parasite. Not just of the body but also of the soul and mind. I would never wish it upon ANYONE, even her… but I hope something happens to her and leaves her in pain and make her suffer and reflect on her terrible actions that are now going to leave others with REAL CANCER worse off.
(If you made it this far thank you for “listening” to my rant. I may be physically better, but inside I am left scarred and broken, and all the therapy in the world can never fix it; Trust me, I’m trying…)

EDIT: I never imagined that my comment would get so much interaction, thank you everyone!
To clarify/update: I’m rather healthy, all things considered. Lately i’ve been biking a lot (E-bike because the motor helps with the strain and the torque can let me take a break from pedaling without needing to pull over somewhere.) and I’ve been losing weight left over from my treatment. I am able to enjoy my life, and I go to therapy regularly so I AM getting help with these issues.

Especially the commenters; you’re all very sweet. Thank you for your words, all of you. I was totally surprised when I noticed that my Youtube blew up with notifications, and I hope all you wonderful people do well in life.

For people who are healthy (as in: have not had serious illness like me.) I highly recommend trying to donate blood- to put it into perspective, I was extra needy in the blood department and had OVER 40 BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. Please consider also going on the bone marrow registry, ESPECIALLY if you are a person of color; many non-white people can succumb to illness because they get no matches on the registry. You’re saving lives this way.

[ZeloinatorZ]

Please dont let people who fake illnesses take away from your compassion for those with cancers and/or chronic illnesses. Thats all i can say about situations like this, dont let them take your compassion for those struggling with chronic illnesses and cancers.

[oatmik_]

“I come from a broken family” thanks Maddie! Me too, because me and my mother have both lost our fathers to cancer !

[lone]

Lost a friend fighting her 2nd round with cancer this past August. Her last couple of weeks were just cruel. She was such an awesome lady. I miss her.

[saylorneely]

My mom passed away a couple of weeks ago from cancer. The idea that someone would profit off of the pain and suffering my family has gone thought is insane to me. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.

[AniRose]

I don’t have cancer but I do have an aggressive chronic illness that requires a double lung and heart transplant, and this woman INFURIATES me to no end. She talks so casually about being tired and when she “feels good” she golf’s but the fatigue is UNREAL and I can barely do anything.
All my love to people who know others with cancer or are battling themselves.

[sigynlokean]

My dad has stage 4 metastatic bone cancer and is in hospice. I am so mad someone would even think about faking cancer. The daily pain he is constantly in, not to mention the mental and emotional toll on him and us as his family. Faking having cancer is sick and demented

[reallifefiasco]

My mother was taken 2 years ago by cancer. She had 3 different kinds but in the end her Waldenstrom is what won. I have been beyond disgusted by this whole case.

[myrliegirl]

I am in remission and this young woman is within a 10 mile radius of me. My journey's struggles have been directly compared to hers. Thank you for shedding more light on this.

[TBK]

She should have court mandated therapy too, no one in their right state of mind would do this .

[yvaincallipso]

You have to be a special kind of manipulative, selfish, entitled, callous and stupid to think you can get away with this and not care about the consequences.
Also love her "yes, I'm pwetty, rich and popular, but my family was bwoken and little old me just didn't know what to do!"defense.

[missyelliot]

The sentence the judge gave isn’t a slap on the wrist — *it’s a slap in the face.* Pathetic.

[kristakane]

As a single mother who went through cancer 6 rounds of chemo 5 rounds of radiation, raising my boys by myself and had to continue to work through out my battle and got very little financial help this is disgusting!

[hannahorin]

This is so insane. My moms roommate in college in the 80s did this exact same thing…lied and said she had cancer, got her degree and didn’t have to study bc she was “sick”, the school planted a tree for her, had fundraisers for her, and my mom (since she was her roommate) used to bring her poop to the student center for her to get “tested”….the amount of work it requires to lie like this is just insane.