Beloved YouTuber Keenan Cahill Dead at 27

Popular YouTube celebrity Keenan Cahill has died. A family spokesperson informed WGN that he died at 27. A lip sync video star, Cahill underwent open heart surgery on Dec. 15, but complications arose, and he was put on life support. His manager, David Graham, told TMZ that he died on Dec. 29 after being taken off life support in a Chicago hospital. A few weeks ago, Cahill, who was diagnosed with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, told his fans he would be undergoing open heart surgery later that month. “For those who are asking. December 15th is the date of surgery,” he wrote on Dec. 12 in his last Instagram post. He also posted on Dec. 5th, “One week till open heart surgery. Wish me luck. Love ya’ll.” Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome is a “progressive condition that causes many tissues and organs to enlarge, become inflamed or scarred, and eventually waste away,” according to MedlinePlus. 

Originally from Elmhurst, Illinois, Cahill rose to fame in 2010 with his entertaining Youtube clips, which attracted celebrities who appeared on his channel to perform duets, like Jennifer Aniston, Katy Perry, 50 Cent, Nick Cannon, Justin Bieber, and more. He met Katy Perry during her California Dreams Tour, and they performed her song “Teenage Dream” together in one video. On his channel, he has also featured artists such as Maroon 5, Flo Rida, 50 Cent, Jason Derulo, Gym Class Heroes, Cody Simpson, Tinie Tempah, The Wanted, Big Time Rush, Glee, Andy Grammer, and more. Cahill’s popular YouTube videos garnered over 500 million views. Additionally, the young content creator appeared with Adam Levine, Sia, and Ryan Tedder in Sara Barilles’ “Uncharted” music video. He also performed live at the 2011 American Music Awards with LMFAO. His previous nominations include a Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star and a J-14 Award nomination for Viral Web Star in September 2011. 

With his fame, Cahill also worked on original music, releasing three singles on iTunes: “Hands Up,” “Closer,” and “Back to Us.” His last upload, titled “Rain” featuring Jillian Jensen, appeared just three weeks ago. At age one, the internet star was diagnosed with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome. In 1997, he had a bone marrow transplant to slow down the progression of the disease and underwent other surgeries. Many fans expressed condolences in the star’s last Instagram post after the news broke. “RIP Keenan, thank you for the laughter and smiles you brought,” one user wrote. “Rest in peace, you were someone i loved as a child. itsucks to hear the news of your passing. Thank you for being able to put a smile on thousands of faces over the years. rest easy Keenan,” another added.