Emily Hanson-Miller, the Columbus, Ohio, creator known online as ThriftyFatty, died November 5 at 37. A spokesperson for the Franklin County Coroner’s Office confirmed her death to PEOPLE on November 10.
Her cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. Friends had begun sharing the news on Instagram, posting photographs and memories of their time together.
Hanson-Miller built an audience of more than 100,000 across Instagram and TikTok. Her work combined plus-size fashion and travel with glimpses of everyday life in Ohio.
Her Instagram bio told followers they might find her dancing in her kitchen. On TikTok, she described her aim as finding joy in life.
Hanson-Miller Wrote About Grief in Her Last Post
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In her November 2 update, Hanson-Miller described losing several relatives, including a cousin she considered a brother. She said she had tried to carry on without fully acknowledging her grief, only to discover that it was affecting every part of her life.
“I paused long enough to realize I haven’t been taking care of myself at all,” she wrote, according to Us Weekly. She addressed followers experiencing their own losses, explaining that she wanted them to feel understood and less alone.
Hanson-Miller compared getting through that period to building a raft while trying to reach land. She was still working on hers, she said, and invited readers to tie their rafts together so they could make the journey alongside one another.
Friends Remember Shared Laughter and Years of Support
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In her November 9 tribute, Jordan Nicole remembered laughing with Hanson-Miller until both were shaking and wiping tears from their eyes. She described her friend as an “amazing storyteller and hype woman” whose company she could enjoy for hours.
Their eight years of friendship had included painful losses as well as happy occasions. Nicole recalled the reassurance they offered one another and said she could barely remember how they met, only the feeling that Hanson-Miller had become a constant presence in her life.
Madelyne Riley praised her friend’s compassion and willingness to be herself, saying Hanson-Miller had inspired her personally. “Your love and compassion were bottomless,” she wrote in a tribute reproduced by The Economic Times. Riley said it had been an honor to know her.
Claudia, the creator behind miles.and.smiles, said blogging had brought Hanson-Miller into her life. She planned to celebrate her friend with a kitchen dance to a song that reminded her of their connection.
Family and friends have scheduled a remembrance gathering in Columbus for Sunday, November 15, according to an announcement shared on Instagram.