For the family and friends of Brandi Lee Weaver-Gates the diagnosis was devastating – chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
But Brandi vowed to fight it. She was a successful 23-year old – she was young, strong and had the support of her family and her community.
Brandi was a beloved cheerleading teacher, a valued staff member at a home for people with disabilities and a beauty queen – the winner of Miss Pennsylvania pageant.
With the help of fundraisers and donations, with the support people who volunteered to drive her to life saving appointments and waited breathless, anxious for her return from treatment.
She told The Centre Daily last year that at first she didn’t know how to break the news to them.
“I didn’t know how to tell my family and even though they were there through it all, it still feels like (you’re) battling it alone because they don’t understand.”
For her parents the news was the hardest. Brandi said at the time. “I know that’s a parent’s worst fear, possibly losing a child. That was the hardest part, making my parents go through this. I mean, I know I’m not making them, but that’s how it feels,”
The community vowed that they would get Brandi through this. But they didn’t get the chance.
Because, as police claim, every word appears to have been a lie. It was a scam – and one that may see her land her in jail.
The 23-year old was arrested Tuesday accused of lying about having cancer for more than two years so that she could raise thousands of dollars for herself.
Pennsylvania State Police said they began investigating after receiving an anonymous tip about Brandi saying she couldn’t name any of her doctors.
According to police, the “elaborate scheme” stretched back to 2013, when she first said she was diagnosed with leukemia.
“There are many people out there who have family, friends, neighbors, that are affected by some form of cancer,” Trooper Thomas Stock told WJAC-TV yesterday. “And unfortunately you have people out there who take advantage of that.”
WJAC reports that Brandi would enlist relatives to drive her to John Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, tell them to wait in the lobby, and then go into another part of the hospital to return hours later to make it appear she got treatment.
Trooper Thomas Stock, the state police investigator, said none of the facilities had her listed as a patient.
At one stage Brandi even shaved her head to keep her elaborate ruse going.
“There were some inconsistencies,” Trooper Stock said “ Such as Ms. Gates hair was always there and never falling out,”
As Brandi ‘battled leukaemia’, fundraisers were held for her. One event in 2013 apparently came just after some ‘good news’ from a bone marrow biopsy, which showed she was down to 5 percent cancer cells. Brandi said chemotherapy was making her close to being cured.
As the scam continued she made social media posts about her progress.
I can’t believe it’s been a week already since I found out that I’m in remission again!!! From a sick/scary 4th, to celebrating remission, to having a sip for my one week mark! #kickitsbutt #KICKEDitsbutt #byebyecancer.”
Throughout her treatment, Brandi said she was struggling financially. She told media outlets that her bills were mounting and she had to put aside her three jobs to meet them. In response, the community came together organise fundraisers and marches to support and encourage her.
She told The Centre County Gazette: “It was amazing. I didn’t know half of the people there. It really did surprise me. It speaks to how great our community is. They wanted to come and support someone who is going through a hard time in their life.”
But, in reality, Brandi Weaver-Gates was making a mockery of those actually fighting cancer.
The close-knit community is now reeling from revelations of her deception.
Kaitlyn Weaver, who organised one of the more recent fundraisers said she was sorry. “I sincerely apologize for asking anyone to donate to this. I feel awful, disgusted, and at a loss of words. We had no idea. This is absolutely unbelievable…”
The organisation who crowned Brandi ‘Miss Pennsylvania’ have stripped her of her crown demanding she return her crown and sash after she is released from jail.
Brandi’s bond was set at $150,000, and she remains in the Centre County Correctional Facility awaiting trial.
Top Comments
I never donate to any of these campaigns and GoFundMe Pages,because I don't believe the money is going to where it is supposed to go.
There truly are some sickos out there these days,while the genuinely terminally ill and their families,ask for nothing and suffer in silence.
Rest In Peace My Beautiful Angel.
My sister in-laws husband faked his own terminal cancer for years too. Shaved his head before the 'chemo' affected him. The church that she attended gave him donations to pay for treatment. His work gave him money also. They went on several "once in a life time" holidays overseas before he died. Then after a few years she started to get suspicious as his terminal cancer was cured? She looked thru his computer & found all the evidence that he made it all up. She was devastated. All that time spent crying for him & for her kids because they were going to grow up without a father. She divorced him but he's fighting her for full custody of the kids. Very messy. I'll be sending a letter to the police as soon as this mess is sorted. I hope he goes to jail. Lying bastard.