Ruby Franke’s Son Chad Franke Gets Surgery After His Appendix Bursts

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Chad Franke is on the road to recovery.

The oldest son of Ruby Franke, the YouTuber recently sentenced to four to 30 years in prison for severely abusing her children, recently had his appendix rupture and required surgery.

Chad shared his health issue with his followers, posting a TikTok video from the hospital before doctors knew what was wrong. In the video, the 21-year-old showed his hospital bracelet and gown while lying in bed.

He made a lighthearted joke about frequently being hospitalized, saying it felt like a recurring high school story – always ending up back in the hospital, and not wanting to talk about it.

Chad, who married Kam Anderson last October, shared a post on February 24th speculating about the source of some pain he was experiencing. He jokingly referred to himself as “the world’s #1 victim” and wondered if it might be a hernia or appendicitis, adding, “#mytummyhurts #imscared.”

The next day, he explained on TikTok that his appendix had ruptured and he was going into surgery.

Chad seemed to be recovering well after the procedure and began sharing updates online. He posted a selfie on TikTok, mentioning he was using Oxycodone for pain and admitting he really didn’t feel up to doing a live stream at the moment.

Even while in the hospital, the TikTok creator showed a positive attitude by playfully teasing his mom’s YouTube channel and acting like her in an Instagram video.

In the video, Chad, while in the hospital, playfully acted like Ruby—who, along with her colleague Jodi Hildebrandt, both admitted guilt to four counts of serious child abuse in 2023—making light of her sharing details about his personal life and claiming she wanted everyone to know he’d been hospitalized for a burst appendix.

Ruby became well-known through her now-closed YouTube channel, Eight Passengers, where she shared details of her life in Utah with her former husband, Kevin Franke, and their six children.

In 2020, an influencer surprised her fans when a guest on her video shared that Ruby had punished him by taking his bed away for several months after he played a prank on his little brother.

Three years later, Ruby was arrested when her young son ran away from Jodi’s home in Utah and sought help from a neighbor. Police reported the boy was severely underweight and had duct tape around his ankles and wrists. They also discovered Ruby’s 10-year-old daughter at the same house, who was also found to be malnourished.

Ruby explained that she acted as she did because of her love for her children, and she has since apologized for presenting a misleading view of events, which she admits wasn’t challenged at the time.

After his mother was sentenced, Chad started focusing on his own well-being. He’s now creating videos for social media, similar to what she did, and is openly sharing details about their relationship as they navigate this difficult time.

I was really shocked to hear that Ruby is still trying to reach out to Chad – apparently she’s been writing him letters even from prison. And while he’s said before he loves his mom, Chad was adamant that he’s not being manipulated or controlled by her anymore, which is a huge relief to me.

Chad is not the only celebrity who has detailed their health scares. Keep reading for more…

Nikki Bella, known from Total Bellas, shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit in the chest during a wrestling match with Piper Niven in July 2025.

She reassured her sister, Bella Garcia, saying they would get the issue resolved eventually. She explained to the doctor that as soon as she finished her current commitment, she’d return to address the problem and ensure everything looked its best, because she planned to use it again and it needed to be in good condition.

Lupita Nyong’o, known for her role in 12 Years a Slave, received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus—in 2014, the same year she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film.

She didn’t share her diagnosis until 2025, when she revealed on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with the condition for over ten years.

She explained that girls are often taught to expect period pain as a normal part of growing up and being female. This leaves many of us dealing with a common issue in silence and feeling isolated.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she had been wearing pants that were too tight, which caused a gap to form in her abdominal muscles.

Someone messaged Suki on X (formerly Twitter) asking why she hadn’t tweeted recently. Suki jokingly replied, suggesting she’s been keeping quiet because she suffered a hernia six months ago from wearing very tight pants, and she was afraid to mention it.

The former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared in April 2025 that he was recovering from surgery because his appendix was close to rupturing.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain, which led him to the emergency room. Doctors discovered his appendix had a hole in it – it hadn’t fully ruptured, but was very close to bursting.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder for Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player was seen slowly sitting down on the field with a teammate supporting her, just before collapsing. Trainers were immediately called to assess her condition.

After receiving initial treatment from medical staff at the game, Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital for more tests. League officials reported she was in stable condition and fully conscious.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from being hit by a cement truck at age 11 continue to cause him problems now.

In a 2025 interview on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast, Devine described the past year as a “nightmare.” He explained that he’s been experiencing spasms throughout his body and that doctors initially believed his condition was life-threatening.

Oh my gosh, he actually talked about it! He admitted he doesn’t feel perfect, you know? He was just so real, saying the pain isn’t constant, and that his body… well, he said parts of it are just a little ‘wonky’ and ‘wrong’! It’s so endearing, honestly, that he’s so open about not being superhuman. It makes me love him even more!

A former contestant on The Bachelor had to be hospitalized after experiencing severe back pain. He said he was in so much pain during an RV trip with a friend that he could only get to the hospital by crawling.

He described a strange tingling sensation in his legs, even months after an injury. Speaking on his podcast, Trading Secrets, in March 2025, he explained that just a few weeks or a month prior, he’d been squatting 295 pounds. Now, he can’t even do a squat, struggles with one-legged balancing, and feels like he’s lost control of his body, comparing the sensation to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter, from The Real Housewives of Orange County, revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is now recovering.

In March 2025, the actor from 30 Rock experienced a medical issue at a New York Knicks game and had to be taken out of Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain he’d actually gotten food poisoning and was starting to feel better.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Christy Carlson Romano – seriously, Shia LaBeouf’s co-star from Even Stevens – told everyone she was SHOT in the face! Can you even imagine?! It happened while she was on a fun little trip with her husband, Brendan Rooney, to celebrate his birthday – they were shooting clay pigeons, and… well, a tragedy happened. I’m just so worried about her!

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party who fired a gun unsafely. Brendan Rooney quickly helped her, evaluated her injuries, and drove her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet narrowly missed her right eye, coming within an inch of a direct hit.

The former Kim Possible star explained that a small piece of something got stuck behind their eye. Doctors have advised against removing it with surgery right now, but they’ll keep a close watch on the situation. Thankfully, their vision is currently normal.

Oh my gosh, she actually said she’s just so thankful to still be here! It was so emotional. She kept saying how much she loves her daughters, her husband, her whole family and all her friends. And she said, honestly, she saw her whole life go by in front of her eyes! It was so powerful. She was begging everyone to just hug the people they love, because things can change in an instant. I’m seriously tearing up just thinking about it. It really puts things into perspective, you know?

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, even though it can be harsh, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier” and receiving critical comments online, doctors began commenting on interviews, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome, a condition often linked to high cortisol levels or steroid injections. This prompted Amy to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections after a breast reduction and C-section. She later learned she had a form of Cushing syndrome that would resolve on its own, which she called “the greatest news imaginable.” Amy is now relieved to be healthy and attributes her discovery to the online attention she received.

I was so worried when I heard about what happened to Tom Fitzgerald’s son back in December 2024. He was playing in an AHL game and unfortunately got cut by a skate. It was bad enough that he needed 25 stitches! Thankfully, he made a full recovery, and his dad, Tom Fitzgerald, shared how relieved they were with ESPN. He said they felt incredibly lucky and that no parent should ever have to go through something like that – and I completely agree. It was a scary situation, but so glad to hear he’s okay.

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly began to have stroke-like symptoms, struggling to speak and noticing her face drooping. Although her symptoms briefly subsided, she went to the hospital for evaluation. Doctors discovered she had a small blood clot in her brain, which they identified as a TIA, or transient ischemic attack. Further testing at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The blood clot had traveled through this hole and to her brain, causing the TIA. Hailey underwent a successful procedure to close the PFO and is now recovering well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused temporary paralysis on one side of his face. This forced him to cancel the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained the condition affects the nerves in his ear and face, preventing him from blinking, smiling, or moving his nostril on the affected side. He also shared that it had become increasingly difficult for him to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually went away. Hailey shared on Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well, calling the situation scary but assuring everyone he would be completely fine and was grateful he was on the mend.

As a huge fan, I was so worried when I heard about Jamie Foxx’s health scare last year. He kept things pretty quiet at first, but he finally shared what happened in his new Netflix special, and it was really eye-opening. He described having a terrible headache one day in Atlanta and asking for aspirin, but then he just… went out. He actually didn’t remember the next 20 days!

Initially, a doctor gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but thankfully his sister, Deidra, knew something wasn’t right and took him to the hospital. That’s when they discovered he’d had a brain bleed that caused a stroke.

He said it was about 20 days later, on May 4th, that he finally woke up – but he was in a wheelchair and couldn’t walk. He then had to go to Chicago for a long period of rehab and therapy. It’s been a tough journey, but he’s so grateful for all the support. He said, and it really resonated with me, that he appreciated every single prayer because he truly needed them all.

The reality TV star said she briefly stopped breathing while running a mile during the first challenge on the NBC show.

Honestly, hearing her talk about it on Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser really got to me. She said she doesn’t remember much, just the sound of a helicopter, and this feeling of floating. Then, unbelievably, she said her grandpa appeared. After that, everything went dark, but then she saw light again, and that’s when she knew – she truly believed she had died that day. It was such a powerful and moving moment.

She explained that her organs were failing and she hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body essentially begins to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the series, she experienced a sudden and severe headache at the gym. She described collapsing and being violently ill, realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan quickly revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a life-threatening stroke caused by bleeding around the brain. She had suffered an aneurysm, a rupture in an artery. Immediate surgery was performed to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she struggled with aphasia, leaving her unable to speak clearly.

After a week, her speech returned, and she was discharged from the hospital a month later. However, a 2013 scan revealed the growth had doubled in size, requiring a second surgery. This procedure was unsuccessful, leading to a massive bleed. Doctors warned her that another operation – this time requiring them to access her brain directly through her skull – was her only chance of survival.

Fortunately, Emilia is now fully recovered and says she is “at a hundred per cent.”

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, recently shared her gratitude for her family’s support after she experienced a stroke in January 2024. She told TopMob News that she immediately texted her family with a picture after the stroke, and they all quickly came to her aid.

Cori ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected due to additional health issues. She explained that while she could have gone home after the stroke, she was also struggling with lupus and kidney problems.

Now, Cori is recovering well. She says she’s “doing great” and is regaining her motor skills, and otherwise feels fine.

Shailene Woodley struggled with significant health issues throughout her early twenties. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she described experiencing hearing loss, extreme fatigue, and digestive problems that made eating painful. For years, she received conflicting diagnoses from various doctors.

Because of her background in holistic medicine and herbalism, Woodley sought answers from both traditional doctors and alternative healers, hoping to find relief and understand what was happening to her body.

The search for a solution took a full decade. Woodley explained that the physical discomfort led to anxiety around food and eventually contributed to body image issues and a struggle with her sense of self.

Fortunately, after years of focusing on both her physical and mental well-being, Woodley is now healthy and feeling good. She shared that her health issues have resolved, and she’s happy to be in a much better place.

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2026-02-28 00:19