Influencer Deaths

Popular Japanese content creator Zepa has died ... according to an announcement shared on her official X account.

The post explains Zepa "passed away unexpectedly" ... and apologizes for having to deliver the disturbing news to fans.

A funeral for family members was held, the post states ... before finishing off by thanking Zepa's fans for their love and support during this difficult time.

Brazilian influencer Rita Ephrem died last week ... according to an announcement on her Instagram account.

The social media star had amassed over 300K followers on the platform and had been documenting her experience living with a rare auto-inflammatory disease.

The touching tribute to the content creator roughly translates to say "her story does not end here," noting ... "It lives on in everything she planted within each of us. We carry on with a sense of longing, but also with gratitude for having walked alongside her."

Zhang Xuefeng -- the popular social media influencer from China known for his college exam content -- has died ... his company announced on social media.

Suzhou Fengxue Weilai Education Technology Co. posted the news Wednesday ... writing Xuefeng died after going into sudden cardiac arrest.

The company said ... "The passing of Mr. Zhang Xuefeng represents an immense loss to the educational community. We pledge to carry forward his legacy and continue our commitment to helping even more students realize their dreams.”

Turkish content creator Ayşegül Eraslan was reportedly found dead at her home Friday.

Local outlet Sözcü reports Eraslan's family members visited her home after failing to get a hold of her. Relatives reportedly called the police when no one answered her door.

Officers reportedly found her body and she was pronounced dead at the scene. She had just returned from a trip abroad, and an actor friend just missed her at home.

Alejo Little -- a Colombian influencer known for sharing his life with a form of skeletal dysplasia -- has died.

Alejo's friend, Carlos Feria, confirmed his passing in an Instagram post, writing, "Today I woke up to some bad news, and it's that a friend of mine passed away."

It's unclear what caused Alejo's death, but he posted a TikTok on March 2, appearing to use an oxygen tank.

Popular food influencer Ben Wood has died ... and the tragedy occurred while he was attempting to rescue someone drowning in Chile.

According to reports ... Wood, his partner, and his father saw a woman struggling in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile, and they rushed to save her. Both men and women were swept out to sea during the rescue attempt and drowned. The bodies were recovered by the Chilean Navy. The unidentified woman's partner, who also rushed in, survived.

Wood was a popular food vlogger from Connecticut who lived in Chile with his family ... and he was known for sharing fun videos of himself tasting local Chilean drinks and cuisine.

Carolina Reyes -- known to her hundreds of thousands of followers as Carol the Warrior -- has died.

The influencer's family announced her passing in an Instagram post Wednesday, writing, "It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our warrior."

Jeff Nippard -- a popular bodybuilder and fitness influencer -- has suffered a major loss ... his fiancée has died.

Nippard's team broke the bad news Friday, issuing a statement on Instagram about the passing of Stephanie Buttermore. Her cause of death was not released.

The statement touches on Nippard's 10-year relationship with Buttermore, who "meant the world to Jeff." It also honors Buttermore's legacy of "warmth and compassion, her love for her family, and her PhD research on ovarian cancer.” 

Madeline Ross -- the sister of popular streamer Adin Ross -- has died.

The Broward County Medical Examiner confirmed to TMZ ... Madeline died January 15 in Broward County, Florida.

The cause and manner of her death are pending.

Tragedy out of Brazil -- influencer Maria Rita Rodrigues da Silva has died at 25 -- after reportedly suffering a medical emergency.

Maria's friend Luana Lilian paid tribute on IG Sunday, calling her a "charming person" -- while another pal, Lívia, said the loss was sudden -- revealing they were in the studio together the day before Maria died Saturday and had even made plans.

Her cause of death has not been revealed.