An Internet community, including the Hong Kong man who created her Web site, were stunned by the sudden death on May 14 of beloved member Kaycee Nicole, who had been battling leukaemia. The only glitch was that it wasn't true.
The life and death of Kaycee seems to have been the fabrication of a woman named Debbie Swenson, who only within the last few days has been exposed and confessed to the creation of the blonde, cancer-stricken 19-year-old woman. Ms Swenson's daughter Kelli had supposedly started the online character, but Ms Swenson took over and created the story of her illness.
Mr van der Woning, who has the Internet persona of a 'Big White Guy' in Hong Kong, said he had thousands of hits on his Web site every week, and that he encouraged visitors to pray for and support Kaycee. Dozens of people also reviewed Kaycee's online site, Living Colours, which featured lots of poetry, quotes from songs from different eras, including the '60s and '70s, and the motto: 'I am the warrior'.
Mr van der Woning also convinced Ms Swenson, in her role as Kaycee's mother, to take her observations online. A Web page, supposedly posted by Ms Swenson, shows a blonde girl with baseball mitt or dancing shoes.