'Street Girl Fighter 2' winning dancer Yamada Ria (16) passes away after battling autoimmune disease

Japanese dancer Ria Yamada passed away at the age of 16. She became known to domestic viewers through her appearance on ″Street Dance Girls Fighter 2″ and was reported to have been battling illness for over a year. On the 24th, her family announced on Instagram that Ria Yamada had passed away on the 18th. The family stated, ″Ria endured bravely until the very end during her battle with illness that lasted over a year,″ and expressed, ″We sincerely thank everyone who supported Ria.″ They added, ″Ria truly loved dancing. We are grateful to everyone who met Ria and danced with her. If Ria’s dance and smile remain in your hearts, there is nothing happier for our family.″ Born in 2009, Ria Yamada had been active as a dancer since childhood and stood out in various competitions. In Mnet’s ″Street Dance Girls Fighter 2,″ which aired in 2023, she performed as an individual Japanese contestant, was chosen by the masters, later joined Jam Republic, and ultimately won first place. In March of last year, Ria revealed on social media that she was suffering from a severe illness, including an autoimmune disease. She explained that due to immune system problems, she needed chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant to recover. In July of last year, she shared images of herself cutting her hair and beginning treatment. Afterward, she stopped activities to focus on treatment, but news of her passing was shared about a year and a half later.