YouTuber Desmond Amofah, also known as Etika, went missing on the 19th and was found dead this past Monday. His body was pulled from the East River and his death was ruled a suicide. His belongings had been found on the Manhattan Bridge two days before his body was found.
His last video was posted on the 19th, a disturbing eight-minute video where he discussed his legacy as well as his mental health, and suicide. Fans were concerned because of the content of the video and YouTube has since taken down the video, which served as a suicide note. According to the NY Post article linked above, it wasn't the first time that he had exhibited suicidal tendencies, and had been hospitalized previously.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
Etika was 19 years old and had been on Youtube since 2012 and was known for his gaming videos and streams, particularly Nintendo related. Over the course of seven years, he had earned close to 800,000 follows across his social media accounts. Fans adored him for his bright personality, charisma, and honesty which had made him a YouTube celebrity in the first place.
In his last video, Etika had discussed the pressures of social media and the internet, leading many to believe that internet stardom has negatively impacted his mental health. Like many others who die of suicide, Etika had been hospitalized back in April due to mental health concerns.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there is an average of 129 suicides in the United States daily.
Etika deserved better and so do so many others who have been lost. In his memory, please take a look at how you can take action to give more mental health care and prevent suicides.
