YouTuber announces own death in pre-recorded video: ‘If you’re watching me, I’m dead’

YouTuber Paul Harrell has announced his own death in a pre-recorded video posted to his channel. He was 58.

The US Army and Marine Corps veteran had built up a significant following as a firearms educator and gun rights activist, with over 1.2 million subscribers on the site.

In the video, which he said was recorded on December 20, 2023, Harrell explained that he was dying of pancreatic cancer. He said he had given his manager instructions to publish the video after his death, telling viewers: “If you’re watching me, I’m dead.”

He continued: “Now a few months ago I sat here on this log, and told you I’d been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I told you they caught it early and we were still going to be here for some time.

“Well, we did catch it early but not as early as I had thought. It has spread faster than I thought it would. You may have seen me recently using this crutch. I told you I broke my hip. Well, I did break my hip but it wasn’t because I was in any kind of accident. It was because the cancer spread to my bones, the bones fractured and I fell down.”

He added: “My time is drawing very short.”

Harrell said that he hoped his brother would be able to continue creating content for the channel.

He went on to thank his fans, viewers and subscribers, apologizing for not being able to continue with the channel himself.

“My goal in doing all of this was, yes, to have fun, do some things that were fun, but primarily to put out useful information,” he said.

“Or if not useful at least interesting information. And what I really hope is that, as you’re watching me, you’ve seen some things that have made you say, ‘Oh I get it, okay.’

“Things that have made you change something you did in such a way that it’s helped you. I would really hope that seeing the reviews we’ve done have saved you some money, and saved you from buying things that probably wouldn’t have been a good fit for you. If those things have happened, then we’ve met our goal.”

The video ends with additional footage recorded by his brother and his manager, Brad Nelson. Nelson described Harrell as a “generous and kind guy” who “told the best campfire stories.”

“He’s positively influenced many people’s lives, including my own,” he added. “I’m very grateful for that.”