Cahill died Thursday afternoon in a Chicago hospital. His manager, David Graham, told USA TODAY that complications from open-heart surgery caused the death.
Keenan Cahill, who made videos with lots of famous people lip-syncing to songs, died on Thursday. He was 27.
The social media star, who was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Maroteaux Lamy Syndrome died on Thursday after complications from a recent open-heart surgery, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his family.
“Keenan is an inspiration, so let’s remember all the content he made, the artists he worked with, the music he produced, and the love he had for everyone who helped him over the years,” it said.
Cahill’s aunt Katie Owens, who is the sister of his mother Erin Cahill, set up the GoFundMe to help pay for his medical and funeral costs.
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Owens wrote on GoFundMe, “We are heartbroken to tell you that our nephew, Keenan Cahill, died on December 29 at the age of 27.” “Twelve days ago, he had open-heart surgery and was starting to feel better, but problems came up that he couldn’t handle.”
She went on to say, “Keenan had Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, which is a progressive disease that causes many tissues and organs to grow, become inflamed or scarred, and eventually waste away.”
Because of his rare disease, he has had a lot of surgery, including a bone marrow transplant, in his short life.”
Cahill, who was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, became one of the first YouTube stars when he started posting his popular lip-syncing videos on the site in 2010. Cahill’s channel has more than 500 million views and 725,000 subscribers as of right now. His first video, in which he lip-synced to Katy Perry’s hit song “Teenage Dream,” went viral and now has 58 million views. Perry was interested in the clip, so she reached out to Cahill.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders says that Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome is caused by the enzyme arylsulfatase B not working at all or only partly (NORD).
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This change in the way enzymes work can cause problems like “rough facial features, cloudy corneas, joint abnormalities, different skeletal malformations, an abnormally enlarged liver and/or spleen, and hearing loss.”
NORD says that children with the syndrome often have problems with their hearts.
Cahill started putting videos on YouTube when he was in his teens. He sang and lip-synced to popular songs by the Jonas Brothers, Shakira, and the All-American Rejects.
When celebrities saw his videos and joined him in his expressive lip-syncing, his YouTube channel started to take off. Cahill worked with famous people like 50 Cent, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande to make videos. So far, 60 million people have watched Cahill’s video with 50 Cent, which is a cover of the rapper’s song “Down on Me” with Jeremih.
DJ and TV host Pauly D, who worked with Cahill on a cover of his song “Beat Dat Beat,” went on Twitter on Friday to express his sadness over Cahill’s death.
Pauly wrote “Rip Keenan” on Twitter next to a picture of the two of them at an event. “Thank you for making everyone happy all the time.”
His friends and fans remembered how happy and into music he was. DJ Pauly D, who is known for his work on “Jersey Shore,” thanked him for “always making the world smile.”
Perez Hilton, an internet gossip site that was popular in the 2000s, posted a video of the two of them dancing to “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5. And the popular Twitch user Ellohime, with whom Cahill often played the video game “RimWorld” on the site, paid tribute to Cahill as a “Viking forever,” from one viral star to another.
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Graham, who worked for him, said that Cahill was a “legend.”
“Keenan inspired millions of people around the world by being himself, even though he was short, sick, and only 15 or 16 years old,” he wrote in an email to CNN, referring to the age when Cahill became famous.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Did Keenan Cahill Died?
He was supposed to have open heart surgery earlier this month, according to his verified social media accounts. “He ran into problems that he couldn’t solve,” his family wrote in a GoFundMe page set up by his aunt and posted on his Facebook page.
2. What Disease Did Keenan Cahill have?
Cahill had Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and physical problems that are similar to dwarfism. At age 1, he was told he had a genetic disease. He had a bone marrow transplant in 1997 and several other surgeries over the years to help treat it.
3. What is Keenan Cahill Doing at this Moment?
Keenan Cahill was a popular YouTuber who made lip-sync videos with famous people like 50 Cent, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and more. He died on December 29 after having open-heart surgery on December 15. He was 27.