(CNN) Bre Payton, a commentator and staff writer for The Federalist, died Friday in San Diego after a sudden illness, according to the conservative online magazine. She was 26.

Payton quickly became a featured commentator for conservative outlets after joining The Federalist in April 2015, an obituary on the site said, making regular appearances on Fox News, Fox Business Channel and One America News Network, or OANN.

"Bre brightened the lives of everyone around her," it said. "She was joyful, hard-working, and compassionate, and she leaves behind friends and colleagues for whom she brought nothing but sweetness and light."

Payton was found "unresponsive and barely breathing" Thursday, according to a CaringBridge.org page shared on Twitter by The Federalist's publisher, Ben Domenech.

Following a CT scan and extensive testing, she was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu and meningitis.

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