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Angela Lee, the One Championship mixed martial arts fighter, has pleaded for conspiracy theories and comments about the death of her sister, Victoria Lee, to end.
This was after the Lee family has been repeatedly asked by the media to comment on the passing.
On Dec. 26, 2022, Victoria Lee, an up and coming MMA fighter with One Championship, died at the age of 18.
The news of her shock passing was announced close to a fortnight later on Jan. 8 by Lee.
The cause of Victoria's death has not been made known to the public.
She was on a 3-0 win fight streak in One Championship before her passing.
This led to members of the public making unsubstantiated claims and adding to rumours about the young fighter's cause of death.
Lee spoke of her sister's death in an Instagram post and how the family was "devastated" by Victoria's passing.
A funeral home in Hawaii had publicly announced Victoria's death, before the 26-year-old elder sister Lee confirmed the news.
Request to stop probing
In a subsequent Instagram post, Lee thanked One Championship and its founder and CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, for a video honouring Victoria.
However, in the comments, Lee addressed the media to "stop with the conspiracy theories".
She wrote: "I would also like to address the media and news outlets that have tried to contact myself, my parents and any other members of my family during this time."
"I ask that you respect our wishes to not give any further public statements."
"Stop contacting us, stop hiring private investigators, stop with the conspiracy theories."
"Please show some respect and give us our time and space to grieve."
Memorial only for family
The post added that Lee and her family decided to make Victoria's memorial on Jan. 15 a closed event only for immediate family due to the "media outbreak".
Lee said she hopes close friends and family understand their decision owing to the extensive media attention they have been receiving.
Those in the MMA fight community have commiserated.
Fighters such as UFC fighter Dan Ige told Insider that speculation has to stop.
“Give them freaking respect because that's their tragedy. That's their loss. It's all of our losses,” Ige said.
Ige admitted that he never knew Victoria, but he knew her father, Angela and her husband.
"I just pray that people give [the Lee family] respect because, on social media, everyone wants to come up with the conspiracy [that] it was the vaccine, or was it mental health. Was it this? was it that?
"But whoever's even coming up with these conspiracies, give them some respect," said Ige.
Lee described her younger sister as "down to earth, with unshakable determination and a heart of gold".
Victoria Sun-hei Lee was born on May 17, 2004 in Wahiawa, Hawaii, to Chinese-Singaporean father Ken Lee, and South-Korean-born Canadian mother Jewelz Lee.
Lee père who would later become her coach.
She lived with her family in Mililani, Hawaii.
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Top photos via One Championship Instagram, Angela Lee's Instagram