RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield has sadly died aged 51, just five months after publicly announcing their cancer diagnosis.
Wigs By Vanity confirmed the tragic news on their Instagram, sharing: “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news that our dearest sister, Maxine, has passed away.
“We are all mourning the loss of an incredible icon, friend, and our beloved sister. Thank you for the laughs, the cackles, and the magic you brought into our lives.”
“I will cherish every second of our 30-year friendship, and I’m so grateful that I was a part of your chosen family. You will be forever loved and deeply missed. I love you old girl.”
Universal Sydney also posted a statement, saying: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of our beloved Maxi Shield’s passing.
“In all my years in this community, there has never been a time I can remember when Maxi wasn’t an iconic presence (and she’d absolutely smack you for reminding her of that). Maxi worked across every queer venue in Sydney, touching hearts not only across the country but around the world through her appearance on Drag Race Down Under.
“This Mardi Gras will feel different. It will be more solemn, as so many of us gather carrying the space left by her smile, her quick wit, and her remarkable spirit.”
Just five months ago during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Maxi shared that she’d suffered from a “very scary” health issue.
She was taken to hospital after an “issue with a swollen gland” pushing on blood vessels in her throat.
She later confirmed that tests later revealed “this little swollen thing on the side of my throat is cancer” with a “70-80 per cent treatment rate.”
She had since been undergoing chemotherapy to try and shrink the tumour, with her latest treatment starting in January.
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