YouTuber begs fans for help as he issues a shocking life update from his hospital bed.
A popular online content creator has made an emotional appeal to his audience after experiencing a sudden and life-threatening medical emergency.
In a heartfelt video posted Saturday, YouTuber Brandon Buckingham shared an emotional video of himself in a hospital bed on Saturday (22 November), writing: “I almost died and I need your help.” The 30-year-old explained his terrifying ordeal began when he woke up last week disoriented and completely unable to hear, with no memory of his surroundings.
The influencer, who's known for his documentary-style videos, told his social media followers that he's concerned about his survival as well as his ability to support his wife and 11-month-old baby.
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Doctors believe he's suffering from acute systolic heart failure, kidney failure and liver failure, though the underlying cause hasn't been confirmed.
“I don’t like to ask you guys for anything but I am in a dire situation and this is my only option," Buckingham captioned in his video. "I’ve created a GoFundMe to help my family and I in this trying time – god bless everyone who has sent kind messages I really appreciate it."
The young father added that doctors previously suspected that he had tuberculosis before eliminating that diagnosis.
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“The bad news is my heart is still failing, and my lungs, liver and kidneys are all still in very rough shape,” he wrote in the GoFundMe description, noting that only about 15 to 20% of his heart is working. “I don't know what's going to happen to me, but I know for sure if I do survive, it will be a very long recovery, and I will not be able to provide for my family for at least several months if things go well.”
According to the content creator, his recovery will require a minimum of two to four months of bed rest once he's released from the hospital. Buckingham also revealed that he's racked up over $100,000 in medical bills and will likely need to take heart medication for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, thousands of fans of Buckingham have come to show their support for the social media star on his Instagram.
"Rest up brother," one fan commented while another replied: "Speedy recovery my guy , you got this".
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A third fan wrote: "Love you bro. This support is crazy, 100% deserved."
As of Monday, the father's GoFundMe page has raised over $260,000.