The famous YouTuber woke up to the tragic news that his girlfriend had died from an infection caused by a popular seafood dish.
Billy LeBlanc, 44, said his partner Natalie Clark, 41, tragically died after eating raw oysters and contracting the Vibrio vulnificus virus which “almost killed her”.
There are about a dozen different types of vibrioviruses that are caused by bacteria that live in certain coastal waters. Vibrio vulnificus enters the body when people eat raw or undercooked fish, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“We ate oysters and we both felt sick for a few days and then we woke up and she was dead,” Billy said.
Billy rose to popularity by sharing family videos on his account, Bratayleys, which featured his ex-wife Katie LeBlanc and their three children, Annie, Hailey and Caleb.
Billy LeBlanc, 44, has revealed that his girlfriend Natalie Clark, 41, tragically passed away after he “nearly died” from contracting the Vibrio vulnificus virus after eating raw oysters. The grieving content creator said he only has a vague recollection of what happened, having spent a total of 12 days in hospital, eight of which were in intensive care.
“I will always remember all the times we got lost together. I will always love and miss her. Stay safe and hold your loved ones tight because you never know when it may be the last time you see them,” he wrote in another post alongside photos from their trip.
The heartbroken content creator said he only has a vague recollection of what happened, having spent a total of 12 days in hospital, eight of which were in intensive care.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m just trying to figure out my life and what it’s going to be like, so I just want to thank everyone for all the love and support they’ve shown me,” he added.
Natalie has a 17-year-old son, Julian Clarke, who is an aspiring actor with his own YouTube channel.
On May 13, his late mother posted a photo of her and Julian enjoying Mother’s Day.
“Thanks for the best date, son! You’re the best to me.”
Vibrio vulnificus enters the body when you eat raw or undercooked fish. In 2020, he introduced Natalie as his girlfriend in a video on his channel justbillyleblanc. She continued to appear regularly in his videos.
“We’ve had the best talks on and on and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him,” she said.
Billy’s mother, Yvette Berthelot Leblanc, paid tribute to her son’s girlfriend in a recent Facebook post.
Click here to resize this module
“Natalie has lost her life and Billy spent eight days in intensive care near death. Please continue to pray for Natalie’s son Julian and his family, and for Billy’s health and heart,” Yvette wrote.
The CDC estimates that about 65% of the 80,000 Vibrio infections reported each year are contracted through eating contaminated food.
According to the CDC, about one in five people who become infected die, “often within a day or two of developing symptoms.”
This is not the first time Billy has faced unexpected tragedy: his son Caleb, whom he had with ex-wife Katie LeBlanc, died in 2015 at the age of 13 from sudden cardiac arrest.
Natalie has a 17-year-old son, Julian Clarke, who is an aspiring actor and has his own YouTube channel.
Katie’s family had a history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and, according to the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, she had taken her three children for regular checkups when Caleb was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Katie and Billy frequently posted about their late son on social media, with YouTuber Billy sharing a heartfelt birthday message for his son.
“It feels like just yesterday you were here at the IHOP with us. I miss you so much my little boy. Happy Birthday,” Billy wrote.
The family took a break from the channel after their son’s death, but returned and continued posting videos until 2019, when Billy and Katy divorced.
Billie has since launched her own YouTube channel, justbillyleblanc, where she shares her daily life with her kids with her 208,000 subscribers.
In 2020, he introduced Natalie as his girlfriend in one of his videos. She continued to appear regularly in his videos.