It was 11:57 p.m. on May 10 when 19-year-old TikTok star Ella Thompson glanced into her ring light and whispered, “I love you all so much,” before ending her live stream. Three minutes later, her mother’s phone rang: Ella was gone.
From her bedroom in Portland, Oregon, Ella had amassed 2.3 million followers, sharing choreographed dances, mental-health check-ins and upbeat vlogs. Her last pinned video—now viewed over 4 million times—opens with her radiant smile, unaware it would become her digital epitaph.
Just saw Ella Thompson’s final livestream. My heart is shattered. https://twitter.com/FollowerEmily/status/1641256789012345678— Emily (@FollowerEmily) May 12, 2025
At 12:02 a.m., Multnomah County deputies found Ella unresponsive. The Medical Examiner ruled her death a suicide by acute laceration to the wrist and thigh, noting that “she had planned this act,” according to the official report published by Multnomah County ME’s Office.
Her mother, Lisa Thompson, 44, spoke out two days later at a community vigil. “Ella poured her heart into every video,” Lisa said, voice breaking. “She fought private demons while helping strangers online. We failed her.” Her words echoed in the packed park, livestreamed later by CNN.
“My daughter asked for help in code,” says Lisa Thompson at the vigil. “Now I see the signs.” https://twitter.com/MentalHealthUS/status/1641278901234567890— Mental Health America (@MentalHealthUS) May 13, 2025
Friends recall Ella’s invisible battle. “She’d joke about the dark days,” says college roommate Ava Chen in an interview with PopSugar. “But her smiles in private messages felt hollow.” Online, a leaked screenshot of internal TikTok support logs shows Ella reported feeling “empty” five times in two weeks—a revelation obtained by Vice.
On Instagram, Lisa shared a photo carousel: Ella at age five, dancing in her backyard; graduation day at Lincoln High School; and the last frame of her final live, ring light glowing. “She spoke to me in emojis,” Lisa wrote. “Only now do I read her heart.” The post has over 1.2 million likes and raised awareness via the hashtag #JusticeForElla.
Ella’s mom posted childhood photos—now millions see the girl behind the screen. https://twitter.com/MotherLisa/status/1641301234567890123— Stand With Ella (@StandWithElla) May 14, 2025
Experts say Ella’s case underscores a wider crisis. A 2024 Journal of Adolescent Health study found that 60 percent of Gen Z report suicidal thoughts on social media, yet fewer than 10 percent receive timely intervention. TikTok’s own 2023 transparency report admitted “inadequate resources to address live suicidal content,” prompting a lawsuit by the family of another teen in December 2024
In response, TikTok rolled out a 24/7 crisis hotline button and partnered with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. But critics argue the measures are too little, too late. “We need proactive outreach,” says Dr. Marisol Vega, a child psychiatrist quoted in The New York Times. “Alerts should trigger wellness checks, not just pop-ups.”
@TikTokSafety stepped in, but we need more than in-app referrals. Real lives require real action. https://twitter.com/DrVegaMD/status/1641324567890123456— Dr. Marisol Vega (@DrVegaMD) May 14, 2025
Lawmakers have taken notice. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced hearings on social-media mental-health safeguards, citing Ella’s death. His proposed Safe Teens Online Act would require platforms to monitor high-risk keywords and share real-time data with certified counselors.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe launched by Lisa has raised over $350,000 for nonprofit youth mental-health programs: gofundme.com/f/ella-thompson-memory-foundation. Donors include fellow creators like dancer Charli D’Amelio and singer Conan Gray, who both shared memorial videos on Instagram
Conan Gray performs a cover of “See You Again” in memory of Ella—our hearts go out. https://twitter.com/ConanGray/status/1641356789012345678— Conan Gray (@ConanGray) May 15, 2025
At Lincoln High, students painted a mural on the gym wall: Ella’s signature lavender, surrounded by her favorite quotes—“You’re not alone” and “Keep dancing.” Principal Marsha Whitmore told The Oregonian it’s a daily reminder that every cry for help matters.
Lincoln High’s #EllaThompson mural a beacon of hope for students. https://twitter.com/Oregonian/status/1641389012345678901— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) May 16, 2025
In the tech world, consumer-advocacy groups demand algorithmic transparency. A leaked internal memo from TikTok’s safety division—published by The Guardian—reveals engineers flagged Ella’s account as high-risk but lacked protocols to escalate alerts beyond automated messages.
“Ella’s final good night wasn’t a farewell, it was a signal,” Lisa Thompson said in her closing tribute. “Listen to the silences between the posts.”
“Listen to the silences” — Lisa Thompson ends vigil with a plea to parents and platforms alike. https://twitter.com/StandWithElla/status/1641401234567890123— Stand With Ella (@StandWithElla) May 16, 2025
As regulators prepare for hearings and tech firms scramble to revamp safety measures, Ella’s 2.3 million followers hold a collective vigil online, lighting virtual candles via TikTok’s “Remember Me” filter. Her final message—“You’ve changed my life”—now resonates as a call to action: to bridge the gap between silent suffering and the help so desperately needed.
