Fans of YouTube sensation Keenan Cahill were saddened by the news of his passing on Thursday, December 29, 2022. The viral content creator notified fans that he would undergo open-heart surgery on December 15, 2022. He experienced complications from the surgery and was placed on life support, passing away two weeks later at 27.
Cahill rose to mainstream fame with videos of himself lip-synching to hit songs, catching the attention of some of the original artists. Some of the biggest music acts appeared on his channel to collaborate with him, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Katy Perry.
"Thank you for always making the world smile": DJ Pauly D and others take to social media to mourn Keenan Cahill's death
Keenan Cahill began posting videos on YouTube in 2009 at the age of 14. His content originally consisted of him doing covers and lip-synchs of popular songs. His first upload was a video of himself singing When You Look Me In The Eyes by the Jonas Brothers.
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Cahill's videos were some of the first viral hits on YouTube, as the video streaming service was still in its beginning stages in the early 2010s. The popularity of his lip-synching videos caught the attention of rapper 50 Cent, who made an appearance on his channel for a lip-synch of his song Down on Me featuring Jeremih.
Keenan Cahill quickly shot to mainstream fame following the success of his videos, making numerous public appearances and more collaborative videos with celebrities. He made a Teenage Dream lip-synch video with Katy Perry during her California Dreams Tour, a callback to one of the first lip-synch videos he ever recorded.
Other notable celebrities and artists who have appeared on his channel include Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Flo Rida, Jennifer Aniston, Maroon 5, and Big Time Rush.
Cahill was diagnosed with Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome when he was only a year old, a genetic condition that causes enlargement and inflammation of the body's internal organs. The condition can result in changes to the physical appearance of those affected by it, sometimes giving a similar appearance to someone with dwarfism.
Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome is known to be a potential risk factor for various heart conditions, as was the case for Keenan Cahill.
Upon news of his passing, fans and friends of Cahill posted messages of love and condolences on social media. Former Jersey Shore star and DJ Pauly D tweeted an image of himself with Cahill, thanking him for the joy he brought to so many people.
Popular celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, another figure who appeared on Cahill's channel, posted a video of himself reflecting on his memories of the YouTuber and his life. He said:
"I will always remember you fondly, Keenan. Thank you for sharing your light with us."
YouTuber and DramaAlert host Daniel "Keemstar" also notified his followers of Cahill's passing, hoping he rests in peace.
Countless other fans and friends also expressed their condolences.
Those who wish to remember the joy that Keenan Cahill brought to the world can visit his YouTube channel, where all his popular lip-synching videos remain available.
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