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Ellen DeGeneres Shares Tearful Tribute as Frequent Child Guest Tayt Andersen Dies at 19

His family says he died peacefully early Friday after a yearslong battle that began with a childhood heart transplant and later progressed to metastatic cancer.

Tayt Andersen makes an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres's daytime talk show, "Ellen."
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Overview

  • Tayt Andersen’s family announced on Instagram that he died at 1:30 a.m. CT on Sept. 26 at age 19 and asked for thoughts, prayers and grace as they grieve.
  • His final days followed an infection; relatives were called to say goodbye as he watched favorite movies, heard stories and remained comfortably asleep until his passing.
  • Ellen DeGeneres posted an emotional Instagram video remembering Andersen as a “very special” guest, saying she will miss him, followed by a montage of his appearances.
  • According to the family and a GoFundMe page, Andersen was born with half a heart, underwent about a dozen surgeries, received a transplant at 10, later developed post‑transplant lymphoma and was diagnosed with bladder cancer at 18 that spread by June 2025.
  • The family shared a GoFundMe link to help cover funeral and transition costs, and Andersen’s mother thanked DeGeneres in the comments for the strength her support gave him.