'Vedrana Rudan has gone to an area without signal'

A brief message posted on the official profile of Croatian writer, journalist, and columnist Vedrana Rudan reads, "VEDRANA has gone to an area without signal." This post quickly garnered public attention, particularly given Rudan's recent open discussions about her struggle with a serious illness.

However, it is important to note that as of the time of this report, there is no official confirmation of Vedrana Rudan's death. The message was published on her official profile, but its exact meaning and the circumstances under which it was created remain unclear.

The phrase used in the post gains additional weight from Rudan's earlier statements. In March 2025, she spoke about her illness and death in an interview, using the expression "going to a place where there is no signal" as a metaphor for death. This phrase has since become associated with her public discussions about her health.

Rudan publicly announced in May 2024 that she had bile duct cancer. She spoke about her diagnosis with her characteristic directness, without embellishment or downplaying the gravity of the situation. At the time, she described her treatment, the complications, and the fact that she was among the few patients for whom surgery was an option. Later, her treatment again made headlines when it was announced she was the first patient worldwide to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for complications following tumor treatment.

Vedrana Rudan was born in 1949 in Opatija and has been a prominent figure in Croatian public life for decades as a journalist, columnist, and writer. Her texts are known for their direct, often provocative style. Throughout her career, she has not shied away from topics such as politics, social injustices, the position of women, aging, illness, and death. In recent years, she has spoken particularly openly about the latter subjects, including her own health status.