Joel Yukich, a cooking influencer and social media personality from New Zealand who has more than 120,000 followers on his “Blokes Can Cook Too” pages, died on June 29. He was 35.
The father of four was based in the city of New Plymouth on the country’s North Island, according to The New Zealand Herald. He died after experiencing “a medical event,” People reported.
Yukich has more than 116,000 followers on his “Blokes Can Cook Too” Facebook page and nearly 15,000 on Instagram.
Yukich’s friend, who identified only as Keegan, posted a message on the “Blokes Can Cook Too” page on Wednesday.
“Joel was the loudest and brightest light in every room he went into,” Keegan wrote. “This page gave him an outlet to connect with other like-minded fans and creators, allowing him to forge lifelong friendships through his love of wild kai.
“To everyone who has messaged, thank you.”
Yukich’s cause of death has not yet been officially confirmed, People reported.
Yukich’s sister, Carlie Yukich, created a Give A Little fundraiser to give him “the send-off he deserves.”
“Rest with the best bro, massive love and condolences to your partner and babies,” one person wrote on the page, while another said, “Gives me a heavy heart thinking of your boys and whānau (extended family) with you not here to guide and teach them your way of life ... Fly high my bro!”
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