When 34-year-old single mother and model Katie May died suddenly, the cause of her death remained a mystery. May unexpectedly had a fatal stroke, leaving her family and the coroner left to piece together what had caused it.
After the coroner in Los Angeles County examined her body, it was the determined May died from a "neck manipulation by chiropractor."
Just days before she died, May revealed on social media that she had a painful pinched nerve and went to a chiropractor to have it adjusted. A few days later, she shared again that she was still in pain and returned to the chiropractor.
The coroner believes that while shifting May's neck, the chiropractor tore her left vertebral artery. Ultimately, this blocked blood flow to May's brain, causing a stroke.
“She had some clotting and went to the hospital where they tried to do some procedures, but she passed away,” Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told People. “I personally have not seen this before.”
While the death was ruled an accident, May's sister, Jenny McKerrow, is sharing her story to let others know the potential risks of neck manipulation.
“I would have never in a million years have thought I would lose my baby sister to something like this. You have a vibrant, healthy, single mom, who was at the brink of stardom, who lost her life. It’s heartbreaking," McKerrow told CBS.
While the Mayo Clinic says chiropractic adjustments are mostly safe, there is the risk of stroke by neck manipulation.
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