• The death of Heba El-Zyad shocked her colleagues and friends

• Her final messages revealed her deep reflections and personal philosophy on life and death

The sudden passing of young Egyptian journalist Heba El-Zyad left her friends and colleagues in the media and entertainment circles in shock, following a severe drop in her circulatory system.

Rising suspicions surrounded the circumstances of her death after text and voice messages she had sent to a friend were circulated hours before her passing on Thursday morning.

In her last message, Heba quoted the Chinese philosopher Laozi, saying: "If you are depressed, you live in the past; if you are anxious, you live in the future; but if you are at peace, you live in the present," adding a contemplative tone as if she were preparing to leave this world.

She also expressed in other writings her personal philosophy toward death, making it seem as though she was bidding farewell to life with touching and reflective words.

Previously, Heba had revealed in media statements that she had been subjected to blackmail and threats by unknown individuals via social media and phone, affirming that she had taken the necessary legal steps to confront them, which led some to question the impact of these threats on her mental state prior to her death.

Sources close to her confirmed that she had declined to record one episode of a television program that was being filmed at the time, citing extreme fatigue, but noted that she had already recorded enough episodes for her new show.