Influencer Majkl Vandewert dies at 28
Influencer known for documenting life with progeria died aged 28; doctors had once expected he would live up to 12 years.
Majkl Vandewert, influencer who publicly documented his life with the rare genetic condition progeria, has died at the age of 28. His family announced his death earlier this week.
Online presence and public life
Vandewert was diagnosed with progeria at an early age — a progressive genetic disorder that causes accelerated ageing and for which there is currently no cure. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with progeria have an average life expectancy of about 15 years, and at one point doctors predicted he would live no more than 12 years. He exceeded those expectations many times and reached the age of 28, becoming one of the oldest people known to live with the condition.
On social platforms including Instagram, YouTube and Twitch he reached a combined following of more than 90,000 people. He used his channels to talk about living with progeria, to share moments from daily life, and to post gaming content — one of his passions.
When he was 15 he published an autobiographical book titled "Ik Ben Michiel", in which he described his experience of living with the disease, coping with doctors’ prognoses and his efforts to live as fully as possible despite a limited life expectancy.
His life story was also presented beyond social media: he and his 20-year-old sister Amber, who also has progeria, were the central figures of a documentary released earlier this year. The film followed the siblings for several months and showed the everyday challenges faced by people living with the rare disorder.
Vandewert’s family released the statement announcing his death; the details of the circumstances were not published in the family message.
Photo: press material from the event
