YouTube vlogger Desmond Amofah has been found dead at the age of 29.
Amofah was better known under the moniker Etika, the YouTube username under which he posted his gaming reviews and live-streams.
He was first reported as missing last week, with police noting at the time that he had sparked concern over a video that had been posted on his account, which has since been taken down.
They later confirmed that Amofah’s body had been found in New York, with a statement from the New York City Police Department saying: “We regret to inform that Desmond Amofah aka Etika has been found deceased.”
Since the news of his death, tributes have been flooding in for the late gamer, including one posted on the official YouTube Creators Twitter account.
“We mourn the loss of Etika, a beloved member of our gaming creator community,” they wrote. “All of us at YouTube are sending condolences to his loved ones and fans.”
A number of other high-profile YouTube stars have also since shared their condolences about the death of Amofah, who amassed more than 130,000 followers during his four-year vlogging career.
Among them are fellow gamers Keemstar, PewDiePie and DanTDM, who paid tribute on social media, with many also sharing important phone numbers for any of their subscribers struggling with their own mental health:
A post from YouTuber Keemstar on Twitter also claimed he’d spoken to Amofah’s mother, who thanked fans for their concern. She also urged them to give money to a mental health organisation of their choice, rather than donating to help them cover funeral costs.
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.
