Lil Tay is “on the road to recovery” after undergoing open-heart surgery, according to a post on her social media.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, the 17-year-old musician’s X (formerly Twitter) account shared an update on her journey to getting heart surgery, just three days after she initially sparked concern from fans with a post about her health.
“Thank you for the love, prayers, and positive energy you have all sent her way. Thank you for your continued support 🙏❤️,” the post continued. “We are off to a great start on the road to recovery.”
An image showing Lil Tay’s heart.
Lil Tay/X
Tay’s Instagram and X accounts previously shared a series of posts between Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 that raised concerns about her health.
“Please pray for Tay. We will be updating you as more information becomes available,” the initial post stated on Wednesday.
Just a few hours later that day, another post was uploaded to the account, noting that Tay — whose real name is Claire Hope — was in intensive care and “in serious condition.” The X post also featured an image of a hospital and a sign that read, “Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.”
A third post was shared a few hours later, stating that Tay had been “diagnosed with a life-threatening heart tumor.” Alongside what appeared to be an ultrasound video of a heart, the administrator running Tay’s account asked fans for their “love and prayers.”
On Sept. 13, another update stated that “Tay is about to undergo major open-heart surgery to remove her heart tumor.”
“This is a critical procedure, we ask for your prayers for a successful operation,” the post read.
The internet-famous child star has been no stranger to controversy. Last year, Tay and her family were involved in a death hoax when a statement was shared on her Instagram that claimed she had died along with her older half-brother, Jason Tian. At the time, it was reported she was 14 years old, although reports since then have stated she is 17.
However, Tay’s father, Christopher John Hope, and a lawyer representing her mother were unable to confirm the news of her death to PEOPLE, despite the rapper’s management confirming it to Variety. The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner also had no record of the alleged death.
The statement announcing Tay’s death was removed from Instagram one day after it was uploaded, and just one month later, Tay shared a music video for her new song on social media, along with a statement through her representatives that stated: “I’m back. I’m exposing everyone.”
