Jade Jones, the fiancée of Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, is publicly mourning her close friend Makenzi Kern after Kern’s sudden death during a bachelorette trip in St. Barts. Multiple outlets report that Kern was 26 and died unexpectedly while on the trip, which Jones took ahead of her upcoming wedding to Haliburton.
Jones shares that Kern was a longtime friend and describes her as a source of joy, with her absence continuing beyond the wedding celebrations. Kern’s family says there is no suspicion of foul play and that drugs or alcohol did not contribute to the death. They characterize the incident as resulting from unexpected health complications.
The reports also identify Kern as a former Iowa State cheerleading teammate of Jones. The coverage notes that Haliburton proposed to Jones in July 2025, and that his most recent season ended early after a torn Achilles.
