Questions are mounting after a 26-year-old lady died unexpectedly throughout a Caribbean bachelorette journey hosted by the fiancée of Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
Makenzi Kern was pronounced lifeless on June 8, simply two days after celebrating her birthday, in accordance with an internet obituary. The obituary mentioned she died whereas “surrounded by her closest associates on a as soon as in a lifetime journey to St. Barthelemy Island.”
A supply accustomed to the state of affairs advised TMZ that Kern died immediately because of well being issues. In keeping with that supply, her household doesn’t suspect foul play and doesn’t imagine medicine or alcohol performed a task in her demise.
Even so, on-line hypothesis about what could have occurred has unfold shortly within the days since her demise.
A girl claiming to know Kern’s household additionally wrote on-line that the 26-year-old suffered a sudden coronary heart assault, although that account has not been independently confirmed.
Social media rumors have continued to flow into, together with unsupported claims linking Kern’s demise to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. No proof has been publicly introduced to substantiate these allegations.
‘Sounds sudden and vaxxy,’ one X account posted.
Laura Miers, an outspoken critic of the COVID vaccines, additionally wrote that ‘the New Regular actually blows.
‘We might be witnessing document untimely demise for the remainder of our pure lives.’
There isn’t any proof to recommend Kern died on account of receiving the COVID vaccine.
Makenzi Kern handed away unexpectedly from well being issues, a supply advised TMZ. Her household doesn’t suspect foul play or that her demise was attributable to medicine or alcohol
Makenzi Kern (proper) died whereas on a bachelorette social gathering journey together with her buddy Jade Jones (left)
Kern attended Iowa State College with Jones and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton
The native Iowan was pictured having fun with herself on St Bart’s seashores and aboard a ship within the surrounding waters in pictures Haliburton’s fiancée Jade Jones posted on-line on June 6 – simply two days earlier than Kern mysteriously handed away.
Like Haliburton and his fiancée, Kern attended Iowa State, the place she was a cheerleading teammate of Jones’. Neither Haliburton nor Jones have commented publicly on final week’s tragedy in St. Barthelemy.
She is now survived by her dad and mom, step dad and mom, sister, step siblings, grandparents and her boyfriend.
‘She cherished the water,’ learn Kern’s obituary.
‘She talked her mother into going to the pool to go swimming in the midst of a rain storm throughout their journey to Disneyworld.
‘She was a mama’s lady these early years and will speak her into absolutely anything.
‘She cherished boating together with her dad, water snowboarding, and bought to check out a seabob for the primary time in St Barths.
‘In keeping with her associates, they needed to drag her off as a result of she cherished it a lot, proof that she was having an incredible time.’
Jones (middle, in white) is pictured on her bachelorette journey with Kern (proper)
‘Kenz,’ as she was identified, was working as a membership director for a YMCA department in Nebraska.
Jones posted pictures of the journey on June 6, exhibiting herself with eight or so associates across the island.
‘Hopped on a flight to cloud 9,’ Jones wrote on June 6.
Jones and Haliburton have been collectively for greater than seven years, relationship again to his time as a rising guard for the Iowa State Cyclones. Haliburton would go on to be drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020 and was later traded to the Indian Pacers, whom he led to the 2025 NBA Finals.
Sadly, he suffered an Achilles damage throughout the Finals loss to Oklahoma Metropolis and consequently missed the 2025-26 season.
