How did Devan Nicole Elayda die? Fans mourn tragic death of Fresno TikToker at 23
TikTok star and Fresno State student Devan Nicole Elayda has tragically died at the age of 23 years. The news of her accidental death was confirmed on Saturday, November 27, which came as a shock to her friends and legion of followers on social media. The late fashion and beauty influencer also co-owned a clothing label named '344', which had regular customers among her extensive fanbase of over 50,000 followers.
Close friends of Nicole at her college are devastated by the news of her fatal accident, as they remember her kind, compassionate and jovial nature. "She could light the whole room up by just walking in. Her energy was captivating. She was understanding and was there whenever you needed her. She’d cheer you up if you had a bad day. She was such a sweet soul that everyone loved to be around," mourned Berenice Zuniga and Serena Marquez. TikTok influencer and Nicole's friend Santiago Albarran shared, “She was really bubbly, I remember her coming up to me and she automatically just hugged me."
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"I was just reflecting on it for a good while I was just sitting there just thinking about it, thinking about her, and I just, I went back to the picture that she posted of us and it just really broke my heart," added Albarran, who has over 3 million followers on TikTok.
How did Devan Nicole Elayda die?
Nicole was an aspiring influencer known for her videos on fashion and beauty advice. She had nearly 5,000 followers on Instagram as well, where she regularly posted snippets from fashion photoshoots. On her Collabstr account, Nicole mentioned, "I am an aspiring influencer who loves beauty and fashion. I’d love to try out new products as well as help companies gain more customers. I hope I can be the right fit for you."
The young college student reportedly died on Saturday, Nov 27, in a fatal hit-and-run crash on Highway 180. According to the California Highway Patrol, the 23-year-old was killed by a speeding vehicle near Highway 180 and Cedar Avenue. She was driving her car along with a passenger and stopped her vehicle in the center median of Highway 180, in order to switch sides with the passenger. However, as she was walking around to the other side, she was hit by a speeding Lexus sedan and died soon afterward.
The driver of the speeding car is yet to be identified as it fled the scene immediately after running over Elayda. Local police have requested anyone with information regarding the vehicle to call the California Highway Patrol at (559) 262-0400.
Her last photo on Instagram was shared just a day prior to her death, where she posed with a friend at the Audiotistic Music Festival in Bay Area, California.