Additional Coverage:
- Ellen DeGeneres Mourns the Death of a Favorite Guest (parade.com)
Tayt Anderson, Beloved ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ Guest, Dies at 19 After Long Illness
Tayt Anderson, a 19-year-old known affectionately as Ellen DeGeneres’s “only boyfriend” and a fan favorite on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer. Anderson, who made multiple memorable appearances on the popular talk show, died on September 26.
DeGeneres expressed her profound sadness in a social media video, sharing, “We had a very special guest on the show several times and his name is Tayt, and he thought that I was his girlfriend. So I told him he was my boyfriend, which shocked my wife.
But he was a very special little human being and just brought joy and life and laughter into every room that he was in, and I will miss him.” She concluded her message with, “I love you Tayt.
I love you Chrissy. You touched so many lives.”
Anderson’s health struggles began at birth, born with half a heart. By the age of nine, he had undergone 12 surgeries. He received a heart transplant at age 10, after which he was diagnosed with cancer.
During his hospital stays, The Ellen DeGeneres Show became a vital source of comfort and joy for Tayt. His mother, Chrissy Becker, recounted how dedicated he was to watching the program, even instructing doctors to schedule treatments and surgeries around its broadcast time.
Anderson’s family shared the heartbreaking news of his passing on Instagram, accompanied by a series of black-and-white photos capturing his final moments. Their statement read, in part: “Our hearts are absolutely shattered as we share the news we never wanted to write: Our sweet, strong warrior, Tayt, was released from his bodily prison early this morning, at 1:30 a.m. CT, surrounded by the fierce love of his family.”
The family expressed both immense grief and relief that Tayt was finally free from pain. “No more pain, no more appointments, no more treatments,” they wrote, highlighting how Tayt “impacted countless lives with his incredible smile, his quiet strength, his kindness, and his beautiful love.” They described a final weekend where Tayt fought an infection, spending his last conscious moments alert before peacefully drifting off.
Tayt first appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show by phone in 2013, charming audiences when DeGeneres declared him her “only boyfriend.” He returned to the show multiple times, including a 2015 episode where he proudly announced his new heart.
Following Ellen DeGeneres’s tribute, condolences poured in from fans, many of whom remembered Tayt’s endearing appearances. His mother, Chrissy Becker, also commented on DeGeneres’s post, writing, “We love you so much.
Thank you for being his girlfriend. You gave him so much strength ❤️”
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- Ellen DeGeneres Mourns the Death of a Favorite Guest (parade.com)