Lee MacMillan, Popular "Van Life" Influencer, Dead by Suicide

April 02, 2021

Lee MacMillan, an influencer known for chronicling her worldwide travels in a van, has taken her own life after battling depression.

She was 28 years old.

A message on MacMillan's Instagram account on Monday confirmed her death by suicide and read as follows....

After living an extraordinary life, and fighting a brave battle with depression, our hearts are shattered to share that Lee took her life on Friday.

She was the brightest light, a magnetic force of nature and was loved by so so many.

If we can do one thing for Lee now, in the midst of this soul-crushing loss, it's to spread the message that mental health is just as real as physical health, and that illness can strike anyone, no matter how unlikely they may seem.

It's ok to not be ok, it's ok to ask for help, it's absolutely necessary to ask for help.

speak up for lee

Lee reportedly killed herself by stepping in front of an Amtrak train near Santa Barbara, California on March 26, local police said.

Authorities said the influencer -- a Canadian citizen who was living in the Santa Barbara area for about six months -- was recently reported missing and had left her home without taking her car, wallet, keys, ID and phone.

MacMillan grew a social media following with her ex-boyfriend Max Bidstrup as they took on adventures with their dog Occy in a travel van.

On their YouTube channel Max & Lee, the duo garnered 497,000 followers.

lee and this person

Continued the aforementioned statement:

Lee was an advocate for mental health. She was candid and open about her own struggles.

She was receiving help: from professionals, from family, from friends. She had support around her. She was not alone, she was not trying to fight this alone.

And yet she still succumbed to this terrible illness. It is more nuanced than we can, or do, appreciate or understand.

lee and ex

Last November, Lee introduced Instagram followers to her new boyfriend, Jordan Chiu, a fellow van life enthusiast who she met during her travels.

In January, Lee revealed on this same social media page that she had acquired a camper van of her own and was in the process of reconstructing its interior to turn it into a "new adventure mobile."

"You were a dream beyond my wildest dreams," Jordan wrote as a tribute to MacMillan.

"You filled my heart up full to bursting and stretched it further than what I ever imagined was possible. You were my person, my partner, my best friend.

"Every day with you was an adventure and I hope wherever you are you've found peace and snuggles. Rest easy puppy. I love you more than you will ever know."

Lee's ex Max also shared a memorial tribute to Lee, along with photos of the pair during happy times.

"It was always you [red heart emoji]," he wrote.

"You were the best thing to ever happen to me. You were the best person I have ever met.

"I fell in love with you the day we met yet you were still the stronger one that said 'I love you' first. I never stopped loving you Mountie, I hope you know that [red heart emoji].

"I will always cherish my time with you in this world and hope beyond hope to see you in the next. Save some mini eggs for me."

A GoFundMe page has been set up in MacMillan's name to start a foundation "to promote mental health awareness and to combat cyberbullying," the influencer's Instagram posted on Thursday.

"Life is more complex than a single social media post. Things are complicated. Don't believe what you see online," read the statement that confirrmed her passing.

"Get out into the world and talk to your loved ones. Check in.

"Be available to help. To listen. To offer help."

kiss from lee

It concluded as follows:

Remove the stigma of asking for help. Let's spread the awareness of this issue, for Lee and every one else who needs to hear this: #speakupforlee."

And hold your loved ones tight. Tell them you love them. Because life can change in an instant.

We will miss her with every fiber of our hearts.

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