Family, friends and fans are mourning the loss of TikToker VonViddy.
The content creator and comedian, born Joe Muchlinski, has passed away at the age of 32, his sister Martha Muchlinski shared. In a video posted to TikTok Aug. 22, Martha said her brother died by suicide.
"I do want to confirm for his fans that he did lose his long battle with mental illness, and he did take his own life," she shared. "TikTok meant a lot to him. It gave him joy. It gave him something to laugh at and to make other people laugh at and he really appreciated that."
Martha went on to note that Joe "fought a really, really long, terrible battle with his mental illness."
"And all we can hope now is that he's at peace," she added. "But I did want to provide that closure for anybody who was a VonViddy fan, just to let you know what happened."
In the description of her video, Martha noted that her brother's name was her very first word.
"He was my older brother, my only sibling," she wrote, "and this is one of the worst days of my life. I know folks have been concerned since his last video and deserve some closure."
In his last video shared to TikTok Aug. 21, Joe reflected on his life, sharing that he wanted to be remembered "as a creator of videos that made people laugh and a creator of music."
@martha_merced Joe was my first word. He was my older brother, my only sibling, and this is one of the worst days of my life. I know folks have been concerned since his (Vonviddy's) last video and deserve some closure.@VonViddy #vonviddy #closure #mentalhealthmatters #mentalillness ? original sound - martha merced
"I also want to be remembered as a camp counselor who helped kids to make happy memories," he continued. "I'd rather not be remembered as an addict and an alcoholic who put his family through hell. But unfortunately, that's also part of me."
The social media star went on to express his gratitude for his followers, noting that they mean the world to him.
"All in all, I've had a terrific life," he concluded. "I've got to visit the other side of the world, and I've made tons of friends from all walks of life. I have nothing to complain about, and I have nothing but peace and love for each and every one of you."
After Joe's passing, social media users paid tribute to his memory with one person, writing, "I'm so sorry, you're a wonderful person and I'm so sad you're gone." Added another, "Rest in genuine peace, Joe. You fought a long, hard battle and you've earned your rest. Those of us here will remember you and miss you."