At the young age of 30, Mama Cax, born Cascmy Brutus, passed away December 16th at the Royal London Hospital. Those close to the model confirmed the news via social media channels. Cax though was not simply a “model”, she was a voice for those with disabilities, and those without, too—determined to make the industry a more inclusive and educated space for those in it. At an early age she faced bone and lung cancer and after her body rejected a hip transplant, she had her right leg amputated. That major adversity would later frame the significance of her success in an industry slow to modernize its standards of beauty. Despite a daunting physical impairment, she signed with JAG Models in 2017, who posted a heartfelt statement to their Instagram, “To say that Cax was a fighter would be an understatement. As a cancer survivor, she had grown accustomed to taking on life’s several challenges head on and successfully. It is with that same grit (fervor) that she fought her last days on earth.”
Her bookings were not only hallmarks in her own career, but steps towards the greater good, especially in the community of models with disabilities who face major inequity at every career turn. Cax was here to help bridge that gap however she could. She did. Her appearance in shows, campaigns and covers underlined the fact. Some of her achievements include the cover of Teen Vogue, a campaign for Tommy Hilfiger, and runway walks for the New York-based label Chromat and Rihanna’s buzzy Savage x Fenty label. The singer and designer posted a tribute to Cax on her Instagram as well. “A queen. A force. A powerhouse beauty that brought her strength to the SavagexFenty stage…,“ Rihanna wrote. Mama Cax, Cascmy Brutus, the force, gone too soon at 30, bettered the world she inhabited, shifting perspective towards those who are misrepresented. Through her many accomplishments, she will continue to do so after life.
