Mama Cax, fashion model and disability advocate, dies
Mama Cax in Tory Sport walks the runway during Teen Vogue's Body Party Presented By Snapchat on September 11, 2018, in New York City. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Teen Vogue)
NEW YORK - The fashion model and blogger known as Mama Cax, who inspired many with her positive messages on living with a disability, has died.
Mama Cax, whose real name was Cacsmy Brutus, died earlier this week after a weeklong stay in a hospital, according to a message posted to her verified Instagram page.
Superstar Rihanna called Cax "a force" and "a powerhouse beauty" who walked the stage at her Savage X Fenty show this year.
An amputee and cancer survivor, Cax was known for showcasing her signature style and intricately decorated prosthetic leg. She didn't shy away from showing her cancer surgery scars and using canes or crutches in public.
"Mama Cax, uses social media as a platform to talk about body positivity, but most importantly, dismantle the image of what people with disabilities should be or look like," the bio on her website states.
She was Haitian American and lived in New York.
In 2016, she was invited to Obama's White House to participate in the Design For All Showcase, which the White House called a celebration of "inclusive design, assistive technology, and prosthetics."
"Design For All underscored the importance of inclusive fashion and how stylish assistive devices and prosthetics allow people with disabilities to express themselves and decide how they want to be perceived," Cax wrote in a blog post about her experience at the event.