4 January 2026 Malu Costa. malu_costantine/Threads The vibrant promise of a young life was cut tragically short on January 31, 2026, when Maria Luiza Costa da Silva, an 18-year-old social media personality known online as Malu Costantine, was fatally stabbed following a violent altercation in the streets of Recife, Brazil. Maria had built a devoted following of nearly 30,000 on Instagram by sharing aspects of her life, personality and style in a way that resonated with fans a

2 February 2026 Brie Bird. Kendra Bird/Instagram On what would have been the 10th birthday of young social media star Brie Bird, her family and community marked the day with a series of emotional tributes that underscored the remarkable impact she had in her short life. Brie, who gained a devoted global following for her candid documentation of a five-year battle with recurring neuroblastoma cancer, died on December 11, 2025, at the age of nine, and her memory continues to re

28 January 2026 Creator: Irfan Khan/ Credit: Los Angeles Times Shirley Raines, widely known as Ms. Shirley on TikTok and Instagram and celebrated for her compassionate work with people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles and beyond, died at 58 on January 27, 2026. Her nonprofit, Beauty 2 The Streetz, announced her passing with deep sorrow, saying that her loss was devastating not just to her team but to the countless individuals whose lives she touched through generosity

26 January 2026 The online creator community was shaken by the death of Brazilian social media influencer Jessica Daugirdas, who died on January 25, 2026 at the age of 35 after an arduous three-year battle with colorectal cancer that she courageously shared with her followers. Daugirdas had amassed more than 100,000 followers across platforms like Instagram and TikTok by chronicling her journey with honesty and grace, turning her personal struggle into a source of inspiration

20 January 2026 The world of social media was stunned on January 19, 2026, when beloved Memphis-based influencer and entertainer Jimmy McMahan, better known by his online name Whyte Folkz, died in a motorcycle accident that has left fans, family and the wider creator community reeling from loss. McMahan, 50, who had more than 120,000 followers on Instagram and was known for his comedic sketches, candid videos about life in Memphis and his charismatic presence, was killed in t

14 January 2026 The digital world and his tight-knit online community were rocked earlier this week when Mexican content creator Isaac Efraín Valadez, known affectionately as Chakin Valadez to his followers, was found dead inside his truck in Ensenada, Mexico on January 10, 2026. Valadez was 44 years old, a father, husband, hard-working delivery driver and a beloved travel influencer whose warm personality and open-road videos had earned him more than 164,000 followers on Fac

13 January 2026 The creative community on social media and fans around the world were left in shock and mourning this week after the death of Nigerian influencer Esther Thomas, known online as Sunshine, who passed away following complications from surgery to remove a large fibroid. Thomas was just 26 years old when she died on January 9, 2026, her family announced in a heartfelt statement shared with followers on social media. Her sudden passing has sparked an outpouring of g

12 January 2026 Isabel Veloso with her son Arthur and husband Lucas Borbas. Isabel Veloso/Instagram The internet was left grieving this week after 19-year-old influencer Isabel Veloso, whose deeply personal journey with cancer had touched millions, died on January 10, 2026, following a long and public battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Veloso, who had bravely shared her fight against the disease with her followers on social media for years, became known not only for her courage

5 January 2026 Athira AuniCourtesy of @nauraa_517/TikTok The digital world was shaken in early January when news broke that TikTok star Nurul Athira Auni Mohamad Hafizzan, known simply as Athira Auni to her followers, had died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 21. Although she built her presence and connection with fans halfway around the world in Malaysia, her passing reverberated broadly among online communities because her story reflected both the bright promise and s

25 December 2025 Raffie, the adored American bulldog whose food reaction videos and playful personality helped him become one of TikTok’s most beloved canine stars with more than 1.5 million followers, died suddenly on Christmas Eve from a heart attack while staying at a dog daycare facility, his owner, social media creator Maren Peeters, announced in a tearful video shared with followers, describing the heartbreaking circumstances that unfolded and the outpouring of support

23 December 2025 The online world woke up to heartbreaking news this week as beloved YouTube travel creator Adam “the Woo” Williams was found dead at his home in Celebration, Florida, on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the age of 51. Known for his cheerful explorations of theme parks, roadside curiosities and pop-culture destinations, Williams had spent more than a decade crafting a digital life that felt like a friend’s postcard from across America. His unexpected passing has

16 December 2025 Aline Cristina Dalmolin. Aline Cristina Dalmolin/Instagram Aline Cristina Dalmolin, a beloved Brazilian business influencer, leadership mentor and public figure, died on December 15, 2025, at the age of 41 after a devastating car crash in Balneário Camboriú, a coastal city in southern Brazil. The tragic collision occurred in the early hours of Monday morning when the vehicle in which Dalmolin was riding as a passenger struck an electricity pole at high speed,

14 December 2025 Brie Bird reclines in a chair in a shot posted to social media. Instagram/@briestrongerthancancer The social media community and fans around the world are mourning the heartbreaking loss of nine-year-old influencer Brielle “Brie” Bird, who died on December 11, 2025, after a long and courageous struggle with stage-4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer that she battled for five years. Her family shared the sad news in a deeply moving Instagram

13 December 2025 Brielle Bird. Brielle Bird/Instagram The internet was left reeling as the family of Brielle “Brie” Bird announced that the 9-year-old social media star has died after a long and inspiring battle with Stage 4 neuroblastoma. Brie, who documented her health journey with candor and courage for nearly a million followers under the username @briestrongerthancancer, passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family, leaving behind a le

12 December 2025 Yasmim Angela Feitosa de Souza. Yasmim Angela Feitosa de Souza/Instagram In a tragic echo of an earlier loss, 22-year-old Fridman Gustavo Amorim Brito has died from methanol poisoning in Brazil less than a month after his influencer girlfriend, Yasmim Ângela Feitosa de Souza, also succumbed to the same toxic substance. Brito’s death on December 10, 2025 brings a heartbreaking close to an ordeal that began on November 10, when both young people and a friend co

07 December 2025 Michael Duarte, 36, shared a story of his personal hardships and triumphs just days before he was killed. Instagram/@foodwithbearhands The online food world was rocked when 36-year-old chef and social-media personality FoodWithBearHands ,real name Michael Duarte was shot and killed by police in Castroville, Texas on November 8 during what authorities described as a violent and erratic incident. Just weeks before the tragic confrontation, Duarte had used his p

28 November 2025 When cooking influencer Tini Younger and her husband Antoine Wright Jr. shared the joyous news earlier this year that they were expecting twin daughters, fans celebrated what seemed like the perfect next chapter for the couple. In June 2025 Younger posted an adorable reveal declaring “2 sous chefs on the way,” a nod to her food-content roots and her excitement about expanding her family. On November 26, 2025, that hope turned into heartbreak. In an emotionall

21 November 2025 The cause of death for 25-year-old social media influencer Ben Bader has been officially ruled as a natural event linked to cardiovascular disease, according to the autopsy from the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner obtained by multiple news outlets. Bader, who had amassed more than 200,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram and X with his lifestyle and financial-advice content, was found unresponsive on October 23, 2025 at the gym inside the Admiral’s Cove

17 November 2025 In an eerie final chapter to his adventurous life, YouTube fishing creator Mikey Rijavec, known for his SD Fish and Sips channel, was found dead on November 16, 2025 five days after issuing a mayday call while fishing eight miles off the coast of Baja California. Rijavec’s disappearance began on November 11 when he recorded an engine failure aboard his 14-foot skiff and broadcast what appeared to be a genuine plea for help. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Mexican N

14 November 2025 Diana Areas. Diana Areas/Instagram Brazilian influencer Diana Areas, 39, who amassed roughly 200,000 followers by sharing fitness-and-nutrition content on Instagram, has died after falling from her apartment building in the Parque Tamandaré neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro state on November 13, 2025. Earlier that morning, Areas had been taken to Ferreira Machado Hospital with multiple bodily injuries, but according to local reports she left the hospital withou