After days of raised eyebrows and Mary and Brandan insisting that the former has colon cancer, the 90 Day Fiance couple finally admitted it was a fluke.
“I just want to say sorry for everyone. I posted saying I have colon cancer. I made a mistake and im just a human im very sorry everyone.”
Not Colon Cancer, Not a Surprise
- Just a few hours ago, as of writing, Mary posted an apology statement on their Facebook page, admitting that she never had cancer.
- Instead, she claims it’s UTI and hemorrhoids. In her statement, she also pleads with people to stop “harassing” her and “wishing” for her to die.
The Scam
However, the couple wanted to perpetuate the fraud based on their previous posts before admitting the truth. A few days ago, Brandan posted a video of him and Mary at what appears to be a hospital, stating that she is “scared for another surgery.”
Additionally, they set up a donation campaign while fully aware that Mary did not have an actual cancer diagnosis. On their donation page, Mary wrote that her “cancer” needed to be removed “before it’s too late,” insinuating that they had a medical doctor who performed tests and assessed her situation.
Where do the lies end?
In Mary’s statement after the whirlwind of lies, she said that she “made a mistake” by claiming she had colon cancer. However, it seems this was not a simple hiccup.
- As mentioned above, they portrayed Mary’s situation as a race against time, claiming she needed surgery as soon as possible.
- They asserted colon cancer as if they had already undergone all necessary tests and received a proper diagnosis.
- They set up a donation page claiming she needed surgery to survive.
- They cried wolf when people demanded to see medical records and criticized them for their inconsistent statements.
This was no mistake
To those who have dealt with cancer, have family members with cancer, or have been victims of cancer, this is not a lighthearted mistake. From the beginning, those with experience with cancer knew that this was nothing but an attempt to gain sympathy and money from people. Cancer is not something you wish to have or wish upon someone else.
Being on reality TV does not mean you are now a celebrity, where people will be invested in your story, and you no longer need to find a regular job. Sure, it happens. Someone like Rose from the same TV franchise has made a name for herself.
But the difference is that she made it without playing the victim card. She made an honest living before the show and turned social media into a full-time job, thanks to her interesting, legitimate, and relatable story.
Munchausen Syndrome
This is not the first time someone has faked an illness to gain sympathy or money. Remember Maddie Russo? She was a TikToker who also faked having cancer, solicited more than $35,000 in donations, and was even supported by various cancer foundations.
Fortunately, Russo’s case had a “happy” ending when she was held accountable for her actions and charged with theft by deception. She was sentenced to 3 years’ probation.
Can Mary and Brandan recover from this issue?
It’s tough to say. People are becoming more aware of such scams and are growing tired of them. Not only did they take the spotlight away from someone who actually had cancer and needed help, but they also resorted to gaslighting people who didn’t believe them.
The apology statement, while appreciated, still gaslights people for “harassing” them. Their Facebook page now has a 1.3-star review, with people calling them scammers, and they can’t blame anyone else but themselves.
“Paul and Karine 2.0”
They are or were living their best lives, dining out at restaurants, throwing parties, buying the latest gadgets, extending their house to a second floor, buying a car, all thanks to their participation in 90 Day Fiance. That’s fine.
Oof. Mary and Brandan are doing their best to be Paul and Karine Part 2. Or, I guess I should say they are trying their worst? #90DayFiance https://t.co/zJeTEiWoo0
— Starcasm (@starcasm) February 19, 2024
What made this whole thing crazy is going as far as claiming to have fake cancer to get money from people and probably continue funding their lavish lifestyle. There are still people who seemingly support them; however, that alone can’t support a family and a newborn child.
At the end of the day, always strive to make an honest living. Using your social media presence as a step to an online career isn’t new. It is supported by many. But claiming a disease is never a good idea.
You will get called out because people who went through it will realize the inconsistencies. Time will tell how the couple will recover from this, but we hope the lies stop here.
