Final Photos Surface Before Death At Tyrese Haliburton's Fiancee's Bachelorette Party
Tragedy struck the bachelorette party of the fiancee of NBA star Tyrese Haliburton over the weekend.
Makenzi Kern, 26, died from a medical emergency during the bachelorette party of Jade Jones. Photos have since surfaced from the lavish St. Barts bachelorette getaway. Kern, who celebrated her birthday earlier this month, died from an undisclosed health complications on June 8, her family announced.
"To know Makenzi was to love her. She lived life to the fullest; she was silly, goofy and could brighten everyone's spirits when she was around. She grew up in Council Bluffs Iowa and graduated from Lewis Central High School in 2018. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in 2022 in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University where she cheered for the Cyclones. During her time at ISU, she deepened her friendships there that she maintained way beyond her days at ISU," her obituary reads.
"She loved the water. She talked her mom into going to the pool to go swimming in the middle of a rain storm during their trip to Disneyworld. She was a mama's girl those early years and could talk her into just about anything. She loved boating with her dad, water skiing, and got to try out a seabob for the first time in St Barths. According to her friends, they had to drag her off because she loved it so much, evidence that she was having an amazing time."
Kern, who attended Iowa State - where Haliburton starred collegiately - had close to 5,000 followers on Instagram.
She last posted in February of 2024.
Heartbreaking final photos surface
Jones, who has not publicly addressed her close friend's death, posted several photos from her bachelorette party on June 6, two days before the tragedy.
"hopped on a flight to cloud 9," she wrote in her Instagram caption.
"Instagram snaps shared by Jones and members of her 13-woman bridal crew show Kern grinning widely with her arms outstretched while sporting a blue two-piece outfit, surrounded by similarly-dressed friends, with Jones standing at the center in white," the New York Post shared.
The suntanned squad posed by the pool, on a boat and along the picturesque oceanfront as they celebrated with champagne toasts to "Hali Ever After" – a playful nod to Haliburton's last name – before the idyllic trip suddenly devolved into tragedy."
Kern's family does not believe that foul play, drugs or alcohol played a role in her death.
Her family announced that she died "surrounded by her closest friends on a once in a lifetime trip to St. Barthelemy Island," according to an online obituary.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 3:21 PM.