Paul Harrell, a beloved YouTuber, has passed away at the age of 58. His death was announced through a heart-wrenching video posted on his channel.
Harrell, a gun rights advocate, had been diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer after it was detected early by doctors.
His passing was confirmed to have occurred on Tuesday (3 September).
Attorney and fellow YouTuber Tom Grieve wrote on Twitter: “I just learned and was given permission to share that Paul has passed.
“A true lion of men, a paragon of integrity, the gun dad of the internet, and a role model for us all. May he continue inspire and call us to be better and do more. Rest in peace.”
In a devastating video posted on his YouTube channel, Harrell himself announced his passing.
The video, titled ‘I’m Dead’, was recorded in December 2023 and was published by his family after his death.
“If you’re watching me, I’m dead,” Harrell said in the emotional video.
During the six-minute clip, he stated: “We did catch it early but not as early as I had thought.
“It has spread faster than I thought it would. My time is drawing very short.”
With heartfelt sincerity, Harrell apologized, expressing that he felt he had let everyone down.
This moment has surely brought tears to many of his viewers.
“I had hoped that I would continue in this format for the next 10 or even 15 years,” he said.
“Even once I was diagnosed, I’d hoped that we’d be here for at least two or three more years, but that has turned out to be only a few more months.
“My apologies for that. It makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down.”
The comments section of his YouTube video, as well as social media platforms like Twitter, have been flooded with condolences.
“This sucks. Every so often you get a pang of sadness over the death of someone you’ve never met, but you feel like you personally know. Felt that way the first time when Norm MacDonald died. This is the second time,” one Twitter user shared.
Another person commented: “A legend has passed and he will be sorely missed. RIP Paul and my deepest sympathies and condolences to all his family, friends, and Youtube subscribers.”
A third person added: “I’m grieved to hear this, I always enjoyed his videos. While I didn’t know him personally, I felt as if we could have been friends. I’ll keep his family in my prayers.”