Featured Image Credit: Brandon Buckingham/X
Topics: GoFundMe, Social Media, YouTube, Health
Niamh Shackleton
Topics: GoFundMe, Social Media, YouTube, Health
A YouTuber has been forced to ask people for help after suffering a serious health scare.
Brandon Buckingham, 30, has 157,000 followers on Instagram and a whopping 1.22 million subscribers on YouTube.
He's known for sharing videos on all kinds of topics: from homelessness in the Middle East and Los Angeles' 'most dangerous hood', to buying cars just to film them being destroyed.
It's said that someone with over a million subscribers like Buckingham can make $60,000 to over $1 million annually, according to Creator Hero.
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With this in mind, Buckingham is the sole breadwinner for his family and his wife is a stay-at-home-mom who looks after their 11-month-old baby.
But the family are facing hardships of late after Buckingham's shocking health diagnosis.
On October 31, Buckingham shared a photo of himself in a hospital bed and quipped 'Guess what I am for Halloween'. He's since offered an update on how he's doing, and it's not good news.
On November 21, he shared on X, formerly Twitter: "In the ICU, my heart is failing, my lungs are failing, my liver and kidneys are failing. Things are not looking good my friends. I love you guys."
Buckingham then shared on Instagram yesterday (November 23): "I am suffering from heart failure among a number of other health issues - my kidneys, liver, and lungs are all in very rough shape. If I had not made it to the hospital on time, I would have died (according to the doctors).
"Unfortunately, this leaves my partner and 11 month old child without any immediate support system, as I provide for them. I am unable to work currently, and may not be able to for months, even when I leave the hospital. Once I do, I will be left with tens of thousands in medical bills and little ability to generate income in the immediate future."
He continued: "I have never asked you guys for help, but I am in a very dire situation and I need help. If you have it in your heart and can afford it, please donate to my GoFundMe for my family and I - and if you cannot, then please watch my videos, as there won’t be any new ones for some time.
"The link is in my instagram bio. Thank you all who donate and god bless."
Buckingham echoed similar sentiments on Twitter, sparking a response from MrBeast.
He replied: "I’ll donate $10,000. Someone at their lowest point in a hospital should be worried about their health and not money. Rooting for you."
In just two days, Buckingham's fundraiser has seen over $260,000 worth of donations made (at the time of writing).
MrBeast remains as the top donor on the page.