Jessie J got plenty of attention in 2013 when she shaved her head on live TV. Now, she's bringing up the moment again—and for a devastating reason.
The "I Want Love" singer shared a throwback snapshot of herself on Instagram with a shaved head over the weekend. In the photo, she's being kissed by Amy Knowles, a fan who recently died of a rare medical condition.
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Jessie said that she will "never forget this night. Or the conversations we had over the years, especially recently."
"You are one of the kindest, bravest, sweetest and strongest people I have ever met," Jessie continued. "You fought so hard Amy. Loved everyone around you so hard. Never complained and enjoyed every single little bit of life."
Jessie said that Knowles "would always say thank you to me, but the truth is you will never know how much you have inspired me."
"I do what I do to meet people like you," she said. "Thank YOU Amy for making this earth a kinder place. I will miss you and anytime I see bright flowers I will take a picture."
People shared their own experiences with Knowles in the comments. "Broke my heart hearing the news the other day. She really was the purest sweetest girl. 😢❤️," one person wrote in the comments. "Following Amy's journey with her health over the past almost 10 years was so incredibly inspirational. My heart breaks at this but I find peace in knowing how beautiful her outlook on life was. Such a strong soul and an absolute light in this world. 🌻🌺🌼🌸" another added.
Knowles had a rare condition known as complex neuromyopathic intestinal dysmotility, according to the UK's Metro newspaper, which means the muscles of her intestinal tract couldn't coordinate bowel movements. Because of her condition, she needed to be fed through a tube connected to her bloodstream. Each time she used the feeding tube, she risked developing fatal complications like blood poisoning or liver failure.
"The hardest part of my illness is not being able to eat food, which I love," Knowles told Metro in 2012.
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Knowles first met Jessie in 2012 in a hospital visit arranged by the Wish Upon a Star charity, according to Keighley News. It was during that visit when she dared Jessie to shave her head for charity. Jessie did in 2013 on BBC's Comic Relief, an experience she said felt "weird" but "liberating."
Knowles shared in her final Instagram posts that she was in hospice. She also included one post about buying something for her sister to wear on her wedding day. "Knowing I won't be here in person to experience special events in my loved ones lives has always been one of the things I've struggled with 😔 so I can not tell you what it meant to me to be able to give my sister something for the day she gets married!" she wrote. "I got to see that happiness in your face and got to be emotional together 💙 …Beth, just as the card says, I love you forever xxx and I promise that throughout your life I will be there in spirit, but I'm so glad today I felt I was part of it with you!"
Jessie ended her tribute on this note: "Love you girl. Fly high. 🤍"
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