S4 • E3 Jul 4, 2016
A teenager has found relief from severe depression and won an army of fans after uploading videos dressed as his gorgeous female alter-ego Clawdeena. For 16-year-old Matthew Tronconi, from DeLand, Florida, make-up is more than a fun pastime, he credits it with saving his life. Matthew's YouTube channel, Clawdeena9, has racked up more than 110 million views and almost 250,000 subscribers since it was launched four years ago. Matthew realized he was gay at a young age and has always been fascinated by makeup, but the journey to his new-found internet success has been far from easy. After an attempted overdose at the age of 14, Matthew was sent to a mental health hospital for recovery. In rehab, he learned coping mechanisms that enabled him to deal with his anxiety and depression and met his boyfriend of two years, Bailey. But Clawdeena's fans have been the biggest confidence boost of all.
