Missing Popular YouTuber, Who Exhibited Suicidal Thoughts, Has Died

By
Krystal Tay
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Behind the glitz and glamour, the entertainment industry comes with unending stress.

Right off the bat, dealing with the popularity and receiving hate comments are some issues faced by celebrities and Internet personalities. Since they’re constantly in the public eye, they would have to be mindful of their actions and words, both online and offline.

As a result, many tend to keep to themselves and these problems eventually eat them up.

Gaming YouTuber found dead

Image: TechSpot

If you’re a dedicated gamer, chances are you’ve heard of Etika or TR1Iceman on YouTube. Both are online personas created by Desmond Amofah to share his thoughts on various Nintendo games.

The YouTuber was reportedly missing since 19 June 2019 which alarmed his fans and friends.

Unfortunately, Etika’s body was found in the East River and he was confirmed to be dead by the New York Police Department on the evening of 24 June, Monday.

Amofah expressed suicidal thoughts

According to Vox, the 29-year-old “had been considered missing since June 19, when authorities found and recovered his belongings, including his cellphone and identification.” News of disappearance surfaced after he posted a video which appeared to be a suicide note.

With reference to TechSpot, the video was uploaded to his second channel, TR1Iceman. It has since been removed by YouTube and re-uploaded by another YouTube user. In the clip titled “I’m Sorry”, Amofah apologized for pushing people who genuinely cared for him away and shared that he struggled with social media.

The video ended with him saying “Time for me to go. I mean this with every bit of my heart…”

This wasn’t the first time Amofah displayed signs of his struggle with mental illness.

He had been battling mental illness for awhile

Back in October 2018, Amofah had his YouTube channel removed due to the uploading of pornographic content – a major no-no on the platform.

Amofah’s ex-girlfriend, Alice Pika, mentioned that he had a mental breakdown and had been  hospitalized. The 29-year-old eventually came forward to say that he had bipolar disorder.

Following the incident in 2018, the YouTuber had uploaded videos and posts on social media platforms (Reddit and Twitter) hinting at his mental illness and suicidal thoughts.

In April 2019, he reportedly shared a live-stream on Instagram regarding a police response to a call at his residence, where he had allegedly been threatening self-harm.

Fans mourn globally

Since news of his death made headlines, fans and friends of Amofah have taken to social media to express their grieve. On top of that, they’ve been urging everyone who has mental problems to seek help.

Image: YouTube

Variety reported that fans of the YouTuber have started a petition requesting for YouTube to restore his channel “so we can remember his legacy.”

If you are going through a tough period now, please ask for help. There are organizations in Singapore i.e. Samaritans of Singapore that are committed to provide a listening ear.

In addition to 24-hour hotlines, online chat services are offered as well – all of which are absolutely confidential.

For more details on different helplines, click here.

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Krystal Tay
Email: [email protected]