The sports world flooded pro golfer Jake Knapp with love and sympathy after his vibrant girlfriend, 28-year-old Makena White, died early in the week of September 22, 2025. The sudden loss was announced on her Instagram in a post penned by a friend of the stylish influencer.
The post didn’t reveal an exact date, but it called White “one of a kind” before going on, “She had this rare way of making you feel special, and her huge heart was always overflowing with love. To be loved by Makena was a gift; one that came with endless laughter, so much joy, and a healthy sprinkling of chaos as we tried to keep up with her travel schedule.”
Makena White’s cause of death has not been released, and is still unknown.
Now, White’s 31-year-old boyfriend Jake Knapp has broken his silence to speak out about her death, and his mother has made a statement as well. Read on for details.
Jake Knapp’s Statement on Makena White’s Death
After staying quiet all week, Knapp broke his silence in a statement to Page Six. The outlet says he told them White was “such a thoughtful person whose selflessness toward others is something I will always appreciate.”
The 2024 Mexico Open winner also reminisced on her “fun, outgoing energy” which he says will be missed by White’s loved ones.
The report says Knapp went on to reveal he is having “a difficult time navigating the unexpected loss of White” before saying, “It’s an understatement to say how hard all of this is to process for everyone who knew Mak, especially her family and friends, who deserve privacy and respect during this difficult time.”
Makena White Had a Heart Condition: Report
A September 27 People report says White previously spoke out about health issues, saying she had a heart condition called tachycardia where the heart beats abnormally fast.
White worked as a medical sales rep, and the report says she spoke a few times on social media about her heart issue. On one occasion she wrote, “The irony of being at a cardiac surgery conference (for my job) while wearing a holter monitor for your own heart defect is pretty funny.”
In another posting, the Ottawa native said she was “tachycardic” and included a photo of her Apple Watch, which showed her heart rate elevated at 133.
Newsweek says White was a graduate of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, where she studied communications and software engineering.
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