Model Niece Waidhofer dead at 31 by suicide: Influencer had 4.2M followers

Niece Waidhofer, a social media influencer and model, has died by suicide. She was 31.

“Sadly, Niece took her own life after a long battle with mental health issues,” her family told TMZ. “She was very open with her followers about her struggles, even wanting to help followers who also suffered.”

A non-profit titled “Peace from Niece” is set to be created in her honor, according to TMZ, which will aid mental health awareness and fund mental illness research.

Law enforcement informed TMZ they received a phone call from a concerned family member who asked officers to check on Waidhofer in her Houston, Texas home last month.

There, her body was discovered.

The model had 4.2 million followers on her Instagram, where she regularly shared posts captured and written by herself. But her fans were worried when suddenly her account was wiped. In the weeks leading up to her death, she left only three posts up on her page.

When the news broke of her passing, fans were quick to share condolences on social media, with one writing, “She was one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram. Mental health is super important. More than you can possibly fathom.”

“Niece was more than her struggles,” her family said. “She was beautiful and kind, sensitive and funny, creative and talented, generous and compassionate, thoughtful and challenging. While it is so very painful to say goodbye, we take comfort knowing she is reunited with her father, her three grandparents, her Uncle Rusty, and her beloved Puff; and that she is now free to be herself and, finally, at peace.”