R&B Singer and rising star B. Smyth, born Brandon Smith, has passed away following a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was just 30 years old.
The news was shared on the R&B singer’s Instagram page in a video made by his older brother, Denzil, who confirmed that Brandon had passed away Thursday morning (Nov. 17) from respiratory failure caused by his lung disease.
“So on behalf of my brother and my family we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love & support throughout the years,” Denzil captioned the video. “We ask for privacy during these difficult times. We also want to say thank you for all of your prayers.”
Denzil said in the video that before his brother died, Brandon had asked him to make a video for fans to watch after he passed. According to Denzil, Brandon always talked about how much he and his fans loved each other, and he was always pushing himself to give his fans the best possible content.
“My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest released single #Twerkoholic part 2,” he wrote in the caption. “While he was in the ICU, it really brought him a big smile to his face.”
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According to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, the word “pulmonary” means lung and the word “fibrosis” means scar tissue— similar to scars that form on the skin from an old injury or surgery. So, in its simplest sense, pulmonary fibrosis (PF) means scarring in the lungs. Over time, the scar tissue blocks the movement of oxygen from inside the tiny air sacs in the lungs into the bloodstream. Low oxygen levels (and the stiff scar tissue itself) can cause people who have pulmonary fibrosis to feel short of breath, particularly when walking and exercising.
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Causes of Pulmonary Fibrosis
There are five main categories of pulmonary fibrosis that have identifiable causes. They are:
- Drug-induced
- Radiation-induced
- Environmental
- Autoimmune
- Occupational
In the United States, Environmental and Autoimmune causes seem to be the most common types of PF of known cause.
When the cause of the PF is unknown, it is called “idiopathic.” Having a correct diagnosis can be important, because treatment options may vary depending on the type of PF.
Some medications can cause PF. Drugs used to treat cancer (chemotherapy), drugs used to treat abnormal heart rhythms (such as amiodarone), drugs used to treat inflammatory conditions (such as methotrexate), and an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections (nitrofurantoin) are some of the better-known drugs that can cause injury, inflammation, and scarring in the lungs. Numerous other drugs have been implicated as causes of PF in some cases.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Signs and symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis may include:
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- A dry cough
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Aching muscles and joints
- Widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes (clubbing)
The course of pulmonary fibrosis — and the severity of symptoms — can vary considerably from person to person. Some people become ill very quickly with severe disease. Others have moderate symptoms that worsen more slowly, over months or years.
Some people may experience a rapid worsening of their symptoms (acute exacerbation), such as severe shortness of breath, that may last for several days to weeks. People who have acute exacerbations may be placed on a mechanical ventilator. Doctors may also prescribe antibiotics, corticosteroid medications or other medications to treat an acute exacerbation.
Born in Florida, Brandon kicked off his career as an artist in 2012, signing a record deal with Motown Records and releasing his debut single, “Leggo,” with 2 Chainz. He released two EPs and several singles during his career and had entries on a handful of Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
