Nicole never imagined a dull ache in her jaw could be anything more than a dental niggle. In 2017, at just 25 years old, she brushed it off as nothing serious. But that toothache was the first warning of something far more sinister.
Living in Nevada, US, she did what anyone would do and went to her dentist. But nothing showed up. She was told it might be muscle strain or possibly a sinus infection. Antibiotics were prescribed, but they didn’t touch the pain.
Eventually, dental X-rays revealed something worrying – bone loss in her jaw. She was sent to a surgeon who discovered a suspicious mass and ordered a biopsy. What should’ve been a straightforward procedure turned into something straight out of a nightmare.
The local anaesthetic didn’t work. Nicole felt every tug and pull as the surgeon removed her tooth.
“I’ve never felt pain like that in my life,” she said in a TikTok video that’s since gone viral. “I could feel every single thing that he was doing… I love horror movies and this is what I imagine being in a horror movie would be like”, reported the Daily Mail.
At first, the biopsy came back clear. The tumor was taken out anyway, and further testing finally revealed the truth: salivary gland cancer. Nicole faced 30 straight days of radiotherapy. It wasn’t just unpleasant. It was brutal.
“It’s burning your skin,” she explained. “My burns were inside my mouth, and I usually equate it to swallowing acid or glass. It was excruciating.”
She was left exhausted, unable to remember a full week of that treatment period. A prosthetic called an obturator was fitted to help her speak, eat, and drink, but it was painful and needed regular tweaking.
Even after the surgery, the discomfort didn’t let up. Her teeth began to move. “I lost my smile,” she said. “I’ve had this smile all my life. And it’s just gone.”
Doctors initially thought it was necrosis, dead tissue caused by radiation. But another biopsy confirmed the worst – the cancer was back.
Nicole underwent a second major surgery, this time losing seven teeth and even more of her mouth. Another round of radiotherapy followed. She beat the cancer again.
After that, things started to look up. Nicole earned her master’s degree, then a doctorate in psychology. She found love with Eric Kleinsasser, who later became her husband.
“Nicole had this contagious joy for everyday life,” Eric said. “She was constantly learning, constantly growing.”
But in April 2022, the cancer returned for a third time. Surgeons removed part of her face and used skin from her leg to reconstruct it. Nicole had only just begun to feel okay about how she looked, and now had to start all over again.
Insurance headaches and financial pressures only made it worse. “It wasn’t just stressful, it was dehumanizing,” Eric said.
Still, Nicole kept sharing her journey on TikTok as @nicolescrookedsmile, building a community of followers inspired by her honesty and strength. “She didn’t always feel strong,” Eric said. “But to me — to everyone — she was the embodiment of it.” Nicole passed away on January 23 at UCLA Santa Monica, aged 33.
“Nicole is the most beautiful person I will ever know,” Eric said. “Even when she was in unbearable pain, she was thinking about how to make others feel less alone.” “Nicole gave everything she had to this fight. Now it’s our turn to carry her voice.”
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