Caitlin McDonald’s Untold Struggle | Auckland News

A woman who turned her homelessness into a powerful YouTube series has died at 47, leaving behind a legacy of raw honesty and resilience. Caitlin McDonald, known for documenting her struggles in over 400 videos, lived briefly with Tony Kett after meeting at a homeless outreach event. Intelligent, funny, and fiercely independent, she resisted institutional help despite repeated crises — including hospitalizations, legal issues, and suicide attempts. Her death, ruled natural causes from respiratory infections linked to a kidney transplant, was not suspicious — but Kett believes it could’ve been prevented if she’d received $48,000 from her KiwiSaver, denied on “serious illness” grounds. Though the fund had approved prior withdrawals for hardship, updated systems now aim to better serve those in crisis. McDonald declined social support in her final months, yet Kett sees her death as a systemic failure — a reminder that compassion must adapt to individual needs, not just standard templates. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/464e5d939c11e408