Sydney Towle’s family found a fitting way to keep one of her favorite places close after her death. Her brother, Austin Towle, spread her ashes from a boat in Hobe Sound, Florida, two months after the beloved creator died at 26.
Sydney had spent three years documenting her battle with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer. More than 1 million TikTok followers followed her through surgeries, chemotherapy, and clinical trials as she continued sharing her life.
Austin Towle honored Syd by spreading her ashes in the Florida place she loved most
As per PEOPLE, Austin shared a video of the moment on his Instagram Stories. As he scattered his sister’s ashes from the boat, he wrote, “Sydney’s spirit will live on in the place she loved most.” Sydney died Aug. 5 after her cancer journey began at 23. Her family announced her death the following day with a post showing her on a mountain peak. The tribute called her “an endless ray of sunshine. A daughter, a sister and friend to so many.”
Her illness had taken a difficult turn earlier this year. In May, Sydney shared videos from the hospital while her mother stayed beside her during treatment for pain and complications. On May 17, she learned that the cancer had spread to her peritoneum, the lining around the abdomen and pelvis.
Two days later, she said her oncologist recommended end-of-life care and would not continue treatment. Sydney disagreed and switched specialists while preparing to continue a clinical trial involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy.
The content creator had previously told PEOPLE that her diagnosis came after she noticed a large bump on her abdomen. She described cholangiocarcinoma as “extremely rare” at her age and said, “I don’t fit any of the demographic factors.”
Austin also found another way to carry Sydney’s legacy forward. In an Aug. 18 Instagram Stories post, he announced that he would run the New York City Marathon with Team Cholangiocarcinoma. He said he felt “honored” to run the race in place of his sister while raising awareness for the cancer that shaped her final three years. The race gave Austin a very different way to keep Sydney’s name moving forward.
For now, her ashes remained in Hobe Sound, the Florida spot she loved most.
