Ellen DeGeneres has expressed her sorrow and shared a heartfelt tribute following the announcement of a young boy’s passing who had appeared on her show in the past.
DeGeneres, referring to him as her ‘only boyfriend’, addressed the sad news through a video message.
Tayt Andersen, a devoted fan of DeGeneres, made several appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he disclosed his congenital heart condition.
A GoFundMe page dedicated to Andersen notes that he was born with only half a heart and underwent 12 surgeries before reaching nine years old.
At age 10, Tayt received a heart transplant but subsequently, he was diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoma.
In 2024, he faced another challenge with a bladder cancer diagnosis, and by June this year, it was revealed that the cancer had spread to his pelvis, spine, abdomen, chest, and neck.
Tragically, Tayt was given a prognosis of three to four months to live.
It was announced by Andersen’s family that he passed away in the early hours of September 26 after battling cancer.
Ellen, now 67, reflected on the loss and their unique connection.
“We had a very special guest on the show several times, and his name is Tayt,” she shared in her video. “And he thought that I was his girlfriend, and so I told him he was my boyfriend, which shocked my wife. But he was a very special little human being, and just brought joy and life and laughter into every room that he was in.
“I will miss him,” she added with emotion, and included clips from their shared moments on the show.
In gratitude, Tayt’s mother, Chrissy Becker, commented: “We love you so much. “Thank you for being his girlfriend you gave him so much strength.”
The family announced Tayt’s passing through an Instagram post on his account, accompanied by black and white photos.
The post conveyed: “Our hearts are absolutely shattered as we share the news we never wanted to write: Our sweet, strong warrior, Tayt, was released from his bodily prison early this morning, at 1:30 a.m. CT, surrounded by the fierce love of his family.
“While our souls feel shattered and lost by this unimaginable grief, we are so thankful that Tayt is finally free. No more pain, no more appointments, no more treatments.”
It continued: “Tayt was loved by so many, and he impacted countless lives with his incredible smile, his quiet strength, his kindness, and his beautiful love.
“Last weekend, after taking a turn for the worse due to an infection, Tayt fought one last battle. He was so alert and responsive on Sunday, but by the night, he was in pain. After a long night, he finally found peace and drifted off to sleep around 4:00 a.m. Monday. He remained asleep and unresponsive, resting comfortably, until he passed away peacefully early this morning.
“Yesterday, we spent the day calling and FaceTiming family so they could say their goodbyes. We made sure to get his handprint—a small way to hold on to him— we watched his favorite movies, read his favorite stories. We knew Tayt time was limited but we honestly just weren’t ready to lose him.”
The family concluded their message with a request for prayers and thoughts, writing: “Please keep Chrissy, Tayt, and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this crushing grief. There are truly no words to describe this pain; we are just moving through this painful process, grateful for every moment we had with our amazing boy. Please give us grace during this time.”