Social media is paying tribute to many influencers who died in 2026.
While recording a private New Year’s Eve livestream, Sergio Jiménez died at age 37. Spanish outlets El País and El Periódico reported that he was allegedly completing challenges, including consuming alcohol and cocaine in exchange for money.
Days later, content creator Athira Auni died on January 3 at age 21 after a motorcycle accident. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Auni, who was known for flipping Indian flatbread roti canai at her dad’s food stall on TikTok, was honored by her friend after her death.
“On Friday, you asked me to record a video of you spreading roti canai for the last time, as if you already knew that night you were going to go make it,” a translated caption read, shared by the user @nauraa_517 on TikTok.
News broke later that month that Isabel Veloso died at age 19 after a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Lula Lahfah died at age 26 after an alleged health battle.
Scroll down to remember the influencers who died in 2026:
Ivonne Enriquez Ramirez
News broke on January 19 that Ivonne Enriquez Ramirez died after being involved in a car accident. She was 20. Mexican newspaper Milenio reported that Enriquez was traveling on January 9 around 8 a.m. local time from the celebration of the town’s 487th anniversary with the mayor of the southern Mexican town Santa María Huatulco, Julio César Cárdenas Ortega. Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos reported that the vehicle overturned and fell into a ravine that was about 164 feet deep.
“With deeply broken hearts, we share the painful passing of my beloved little sister Sweet Ivonne Enriquez Ramirez,” Ramirez’s sister Michel wrote in a statement via Facebook on January 19. “As a family, this moment breaks our souls. It’s an immense pain, difficult to describe and even harder to accept. Nothing prepares us for a loss like this.”
The statement continued, “We want to wholeheartedly thank each person who lifted up a prayer, sent a message, a word of encouragement or accompanied us with love during this very difficult time. Every show of love, every thought and every prayer reached us and held us up when we had no strength anymore.”
The message shared that Ramirez left an “indelible mark” on their lives and hearts, adding that her memory will “live on forever in us.” The statement concluded, “We deeply appreciate your understanding and ask for respect in this difficult and painful situation as we go through this grieving process as a family.”
Isaac Efrain Valadez
Isaac Efraín Valadez was found dead on January 10 inside his truck with gunshot wounds. He was 44. Local newspaper El Heraldo de México reported that authorities in Ensenada, Mexico, were notified of an armed attack and found Valadez — who was known online as “Chakin Valadez” — dead at the scene before 7 a.m. The outlet reported that at least seven shots were fired. The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office has not made any arrests in connection with Valadez’s death, according to the outlet.
Esther Thomas
Esther Thomas died on January 9 after undergoing surgery. “Greetings … We the family of Esther Thomas [A.K.A Sunshine] with pain in our heart we regret to announce the sudden demise of our beloved sister and daughter Esther Thomas who suddenly passed away on the 9th of January 2026 after an unsuccessful surgery,” a statement shared via Thomas’ Instagram read. “She had [a] fibroid and was operated on so she couldn’t make it so we are trying to put things in place so we could put her to rest.”
Isabel Veloso
Isabel Veloso died at Hospital Erasto Gaertner in Curitiba, Brazil, on January 10, Brazilian outlet Mix Vale reported. She was 19. Veloso had been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma since her diagnosis in 2021.
Sergio Jimenez
Sergio Jiménez reportedly died during a private New Year’s Eve livestream at age 37. Streamer Simón Pérez alleged on a January 4 YouTube livestream that Jiménez consumed six grams of cocaine on the night of his death.
Pérez also claimed to be in contact with Jiménez’s brother, who reported that he had consumed whiskey in the final livestream. Mossos d’Esquadra — the police force in Catalonia, Spain — launched an investigation into Jiménez’s death, the outlet reported, with authorities ordering an autopsy on his body. Mossos d’Esquadra released a video on social media on January 6 encouraging people not to participate in “viral challenges” that could “put your life or your physical integrity in danger.”
“The consequences of these trends can range from intoxication to physical and psychological effects, and can also have a negative impact on their reputation, affecting job and academic opportunities due to the digital footprint left behind,” an officer said in the clip, translated by People. “It’s important to be aware that some trends can have consequences if they involve acts of vandalism or aggression.”
Nurul Athira Auni Mohamad Hafizzan
Nurul Athira Auni Mohamad Hafizzan, who went by the name Athira Auni online, died on January 3 at age 21. Local outlets Sinar Daily, Sinar Harian and New Straits Times reported that Auni was driving in the right lane when another motorcycle crashed into her from behind after swerving to attempt to avoid her vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The other motorcyclist faced injuries on his hands, elbows and thighs and received medical care at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital.
Auni’s body was transported to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for a post-mortem examination, according to local outlets. The case is under investigation for potential reckless or dangerous driving leading to death.
Yulia Burtseva
Yulia Burtseva died at age 38 after undergoing cosmetic surgery at a private clinic in Moscow on January 4. She was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital following her condition getting worse, according to Russian news outlet MSK1.
While citing the Moscow Investigative Committee, MSK1 reported that the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Moscow has opened a criminal case to investigate potential negligence charges.
“Investigators from the Moscow Investigative Committee are working at the scene,” a translated statement by the Moscow Investigative Committee and obtained by MSK1 read. “Necessary official and medical records will be seized shortly. A number of forensic examinations, including a medical one, are being ordered.”
Discover more from Entertainmentnutz
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.