Zhanna Samsonova, a 39-year-old Russian vegan influencer known as Zhanna D’Art on social media, has tragically passed away due to “starvation and exhaustion,” as reported by The Daily Mirror. Based in South-East Asia, Samsonova followed a strict raw vegan diet primarily consisting of fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies, and juices for the last five years.

Her eating habits, which her friends noted had become increasingly restrictive, particularly in the months preceding her death, had made her a notable figure in the vegan community, where she advocated for her dietary lifestyle to her millions of viewers. Samsonova’s death was attributed to a “cholera-like infection” made worse by physical exhaustion believed to be a result of her vegan diet, according to her mother, Vera Samsonova.

Samsonova passed away on July 21. Her deteriorating health had been a cause of concern for those close to her, as an anonymous friend revealed to Newsflash. This friend, who had seen Samsonova in Sri Lanka just a few months prior, recalled that she had appeared “exhausted” then. The friend shared that Samsonova was sent home to receive medical treatment, but she left again. When they met in Phuket, Samsonova’s condition had alarmed her friend to the extent that they were afraid of finding her lifeless body every morning.

Despite pleas from her friend to seek medical help, Samsonova didn’t survive. Another friend recounted that for the past seven years, Samsonova had taken a special liking to durian, a spiky, notoriously pungent-smelling fruit, as per a report by Time News. The vegan community mourns the loss of Samsonova, a passionate advocate of raw veganism, while her death raises serious questions and concerns about the health impacts of restrictive diets.