Katie May facts for kids

Katie Beth May (born March 16, 1981 – died February 4, 2016) was an American model and businesswoman. She was known as "The Queen of Snapchat" and became a big social media star. Katie May was also a brand ambassador for different companies. She sadly passed away at age 34.

Early Life and School

Katie May was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her parents, Janet and Joseph May, were both teachers. She was the youngest of four children, with two sisters and one brother.

Katie described her childhood as "very traditional working-American." Her family really focused on education, especially in the arts and history. She grew up in a town called Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania. Katie went to Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills, where she was a cheerleader.

From 1999 to 2003, Katie May studied at Ohio University. She earned a special degree called a Bachelor of Science in retail merchandising. This degree teaches you about how stores sell products.

Her Career Journey

In 2003, Katie May moved to Los Angeles. She had big dreams that were "far from Pittsburgh." She first worked in public relations for a fashion company called Dolce & Gabbana.

After that, she started her own high-end denim clothing line called SINR Denim with her boyfriend at the time. Later, she started her own marketing company called May-Levy PR and Marketing. This company helped other businesses with their advertising.

Katie then worked as a vice president at Gen Arts. This company helped artists and creative projects. She once said, "Then that company was sold and I was unemployed without a penny to my name."

Becoming a Social Media Star

In 2014, some photos of Katie May were published in an online magazine called Arsenic. These photos quickly became very popular, or "went viral".

In less than two years, Katie May became very famous online. She gained almost two million followers on Instagram. People started calling her "The Queen of Snapchat" because of her popularity on that app.

Personal Life

Katie May was a single mother. She often said that her daughter was her biggest reason to work hard. She wanted to make her daughter proud every day.

Katie told Huffington Post in 2016, "Failure was not an option, not putting her in the best school was not an option, not living the lifestyle that I had dreamed of for us was not an option." This shows how much she cared about her daughter's future.

Her Passing

On January 29, 2016, Katie May wrote on Twitter that she had hurt a nerve in her neck during a photoshoot. She said she "got adjusted" by a chiropractor. A chiropractor is a person who helps with problems in your bones and joints, especially in the spine.

On January 31, 2016, she tweeted again that she was "going back to the chiropractor tomorrow." On the evening of February 1, 2016, Katie May started feeling numbness in her hand and dizzy. She called her parents and told them she felt like she might faint.

Her family told her to go to Cedars Sinai Hospital. At the hospital, doctors found that she was having a very serious stroke. A stroke happens when blood flow to part of your brain is stopped.

According to her father, Katie "was not conscious when we got to finally see her the next day. We never got to talk to her again." Life support was removed on February 4, 2016.

A report from the coroner (an official who investigates deaths) confirmed what happened. The stroke was caused by the chiropractor's neck adjustment. This adjustment tore an artery in her neck called the left vertebral artery. The coroner's office said it was an accident.

In 2017, Katie May's father filed a lawsuit against the chiropractor. The lawsuit said the chiropractor was careless and caused her death. In January 2022, the case was settled for $250,000. The chiropractor did not admit to any wrongdoing.