The YouTube community is in mourning after a young creator, Alex “Sir Kipsta” Dragomir, died following a battle with heart failure. The 17-year-old’s family confirmed he passed away on June 10, after undergoing a tough surgery. The social media star’s sister announced the news on Twitter, alongside a selfie of the pair. Alex kept his fans updated on his health journey, and will be remembered as a loyal Manchester United fan. Here’s 5 more things to know about him.
1. His sister confirmed his tragic passing.
“Helllo , as you all might already know my brother passed away today he had a very hard operation which lasted 7 hours but his heart couldn’t take it anymore ,he was too weak to survive,” his sister’s June 10 Twitter post read. “Heaven gained another angel Baby angel he was my rock my everything . RIP Alex.” Her tribute continued: “Thank you so much to those who supported Alex thru his hospital journey you all been so amazing !you all kept him going gave him the energy to carry on ! All the messages kept his head up . He carried on due to all the nice support he had from twitter. RIP Alex .”
2. Alex tweeted a final message to fans.
Before going into surgery, the YouTuber shared a message to Twitter. “Going in for a life saving procedure if it don’t work then it’s been a great time people thank you for all you’ve done for me but we pray we see it through and we pray we get fatter and fitter after it for them to see progress and not say they can’t do anything after surgery,” he wrote, in the heartbreaking post.
3. He opened up about his health journey online.
Alex was very open about his illness, keeping his fans updated while undergoing surgeries. One month before he passed away, he told followers that he would be moved into the hospital full-time. “After what I thought was a week of progression in hospital, I’ve been hit with very very hard news for a 17 year old to take,” he wrote. ‘Sir Kipsta’ kept fans entertained by livestreaming, in which he gave food reviews and talked about his love of football. “That’s what gets me through,” he wrote on June 5. “I promise I’ll give my best shot and I won’t let nothing stop me from giving my best shot.” His followers even raised more than 12,000 Euros through GoFundMe in an effort to fund his heart transplant, after his mom quit her job to stay with him in the hospital.
4. Fans and friends have shared tributes to him.
After news of his death was announced, “RIP Alex” started trending on Twitter, with fans trying to get his YouTube account to reach 10,000 followers. “It was his dream,” one fan wrote. “Let’s make it happen.” The Cockshut Hill School in England, which Alex attended, also posted a tribute. “It is with great sadness, the news of ex student Alex Dragomir @KipstaUnited passing away today,” the school tweeted. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult and sad time. R.I.P Alex.”
5. He was a big football fan.
Many of Alex’s videos involved him talking about his love of football (aka soccer). In particular, he was a loyal fan of the team, Manchester United.