The beloved baboon Cindy, who touched thousands of hearts, was put to rest after a long and difficult battle with illness.

Pretoria Rekord reports that, according to her human brother Ruben Lambrechts, they made the most heartbreaking decision yesterday to let her go peacefully, to spare her any further suffering.

“It is with the heaviest hearts that we share the news that Cindy passed away today.

“Today is one of the most heartbreaking days of our lives as we said goodbye to a sister, a beloved family member, and a mother to our animals.

“Over the last while, Cindy had been struggling. She suffered from severe heart failure, which led to repeated episodes of pulmonary edema — fluid building up in her lungs.

“Despite intensive veterinary care, medication, oxygen and constant monitoring, her heart and lungs could no longer cope.”

Ruben said after her third serious attack, and with the guidance of the vet, they made the call.

“We made the most heartbreaking decision to let her go peacefully, to spare her any further suffering. In her final moments, we were holding her hand, speaking to her, and surrounding her with love.”

He said Cindy was deeply loved and cared for every day of her life.

“She will be loved forever, and the beautiful memories we shared with her will stay in our hearts always.

“We want to thank every single one of you for the overwhelming support, kindness and love you showed Cindy and us, especially during the tough times. It meant more than words can ever express.

“We, and all of her animal family, will miss her presence deeply.”

Cindy became a household name after Ruben began sharing videos of her and other animals on TikTok while he was working in Windhoek.

Missing farm life, Ruben posted the clips simply to stay connected — but they quickly went viral.

One of the most shared videos featured warthog Betsie playing with Jerry, one of the farm’s meerkats, set to a Lion King soundtrack.

The clip exploded online, drawing millions of views and turning the Simmenau animals into international internet stars.

Cindy’s journey began 30 years ago when Ruben’s mother, Barista, rescued her as an orphaned baby baboon after her mother had been shot on a neighbouring farm.

Cindy’s early years were challenging. Known for her mischievous nature and infamous kleptomania, nothing on the farm that wasn’t nailed down was ever truly safe.

Despite her antics, Cindy grew into the heart of the farm a beloved matriarch whose personality and bond with her human family captured hearts around the world.

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