A tragic story that took the life of a popular YouTuber Billy LeBlanc's girlfriend has shocked many.
Billy is known as the father of the LeBlanc family who are featured on the popular YouTube channel 'Bratayley'.
The channel was created to document the daily lives of his children.
However, the social media star woke up in hospital to find out his girlfriend had died after they had a meal together.
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The 44-year-old from the US said he and his girlfriend Natalie Clark 'got vibrio vulnificus' after eating raw oysters.
Vibrio vulnificus is a rare bacterial infection that can be contracted from eating uncooked or undercooked fish. Although rare, some cases can be fatal.
'I’m sure none of you know but I recently almost died. I was in the hospital for 12 days,' the heartbroken YouTuber wrote in an Instagram post alongside pictures of the couple travelling.
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He vaguely remembers eight of those days spent in the intensive care unit.
'Unfortunately Natalie didn’t make it and she passed away. I will always remember how we got lost everywhere together,' he continued.
'I will always love her and miss her. Be safe and hold your loved ones tight you, never know when it’ll be the last time you see them.'
In 2020, Billy introduced Natalie as his girlfriend on his channel justbillyleblanc and from there, she continued to make regular appearances.
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Originally from Los Angeles, Natalie leaves behind her son Julian Clark, a 17-year-old aspiring actor with a YouTube channel of his own.
'Thank you son for the best date ever! You are the best thing that ever happened to me,' Natalie wrote to her son last Mother's Day.
Billy's mother, Yvette Berthelot LeBlanc, paid tribute to her son's girlfriend on Facebook, writing: 'Natalie lost her life and Billy was very close to death in the ICU for 8 days.
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'Please continue to pray for Natalie’s son Julian for her family and for Billy, both for his health and his heart.'
According to the CDC, about 65% of 80,000 vibrio cases are contracted from eating contaminated food every year.
Around one in five people die from the infection, 'sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill.'
Others may require intensive care or even limb amputation.
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Commenting on LeBlanc's Instagram post, one fan wrote: 'As someone who was a long time fan back in the day I have to say this is extremely heartbreaking.
'I don’t know why bad things happen to good people we will never know I hope that you take time to find peace during this hard time.'