Stephanie Buttermore was a fitness influencer with a Ph.D. in cancer research, with her life ahead of her. Based on her social media profiles, the late 36-year-old was living a healthy life. But when she suddenly died in March 2026, fans wondered what had happened to her in her final days.
Buttermore’s fiancé, Jeff Nippard, a fellow fitness social media content creator, announced the news of her death in a heartwrenching Instagram post.
“It is with profound sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Jeff’s fiancée and partner of 10 years, Stephanie,” the post shared to Nippard’s account on March 6, 2026, read. “As many of you know, Stephanie meant the world to Jeff. She will be remembered for her warmth and compassion, her love for her family, and her PhD research on ovarian cancer. We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this tragic loss. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.”
Here’s what we know so far about what happened to Buttermore.
Did Stephanie Buttermore Have Health Issues?
Buttermore did not publicly discuss any major health issues, but she was a Ph.D specializing in ovarian cancer research. Additionally, she took a break from social media for a while to focus on her mental health, sharing in May 2024 that her anxiety had become “crippling.”
“My mental health has been the best it’s ever been, but I’ll give you some specifics. I no longer struggle with anxiety. At all,” Buttermore captioned her post at the time. “It was almost crippling a few years ago to the point I felt I couldn’t breathe or leave my house. Now I really don’t have to care whether people liked what I posted or if they are saying negative things about me. I also don’t have highs and lows from periodic dopamine hits every time I open the app. I’m living in a judgment-free space, and it’s peaceful here.”
What Happened to Stephanie Buttermore?
Since Buttermore had taken a hiatus from social media, she didn’t make any possible personal problems public. The only times she appeared online were on her fiancé’s account.
The last time that Nippard shared a photo of himself and Buttermore was on Valentine’s Day 2026.
“Relationshipmaxxing with tea time to lower cortisol levels,” Nippard captioned a post of him and Buttermore smiling, lounging on a cough together.
How Did Stephanie Buttermore Die?
A cause of death was not immediately disclosed for Buttermore. At the time of publication, it’s still unclear how she died.
Jeff reflected on Stephenie’s death in a heartbreaking Instagram post in April 2026.
“When I think about Stephanie, I keep coming back to how loving and kind she was. She really made the world a better place,” Jeff captioned his post. “I’m not sure if many of you know this, but during her PhD, she studied a protein called RHAMM, and found out that it could help detect ovarian cancer early. There’s a copy of her PhD dissertation in my bio if you’d like to read it. It’s one of the first things that made me fall in love with her.”
