As of 2017, there are 1.3 billion YouTube users, and over 300 hours of footage uploaded
to the website, daily.
That means competition on the Tube is fiercer than ever.
But what's even more rare than hitting it big, is when a YouTube star vanishes into
thin air.
From gaming gods to vegan lifestyle gurus, these YouTube stars completely disappeared.
RedKeyMon
When RedKeyMon suddenly stopped making videos at the height of his fame in May 2015, fans
wondered about his wellbeing.
His last video pulled in more than 25 million views — who would walk away from that?
RedKeyMon finally resurfaced in July 2017, posting on his last video,
"Hey guys, first of all, I am still alive!...I hate saying goodbye [which is] why I never
did."
The well-known Grand Theft Auto player explained that he meant to take a break, but then lost
his motivation.
He signed off on a hopeful note, thanking his fans, and leaving the door open for a
possible return.
Twaimz
Twaimz, an openly gay comedy vlogger of Arabic descent, grew up in California and was teased
about his sexuality and his weight, which prompted him to turn to the internet for friends.
After slaying Vine's comedy scene, he moved on to YouTube.
By late 2015, his Twaimz channel had more than 1 million subscribers.
Then, he suddenly disappeared.
He told New York Magazine,
"The more videos I made, the more I was becoming like a character of myself...I was putting
on this facade, and I wasn't really getting anything real out of it.
It got to a point where it was too tiring for me to keep up the act."
Twaimz eventually returned to YouTube with a mission to spread positivity.
Essena O'Neill
At the age of 19, Australian model and vegan vlogger, Essena O'Neill, had more than a million
followers across several platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.
Today, her Instagram feed has a single post, and her YouTube channel only has three videos,
last uploaded in 2015.
Many people assumed her disappearance was some kind of publicity stunt that wouldn't
last more than a couple of weeks, but O'Neill practically vanished.
She told The Cut,
"I found myself drowning in the illusion.
Social media isn't real...It's a system based on social approval...It's perfectly orchestrated
judgement.
And it consumed me."
Kevin Wu
The case of Kevin Wu was considered one of the most mysterious vanishing acts in YouTube
history.
Known on YouTube as KevJumba, Wu had the third-most subscribed channel in 2008, thanks to his
self-deprecating vlogs and parodies.
But in 2015, Wu was reportedly hit by a car in Los Angeles, breaking his spine and collapsing
his lungs.
He endured multiple surgeries and suffered mental health problems in the aftermath.
He told The Hollywood Reporter,
"My mood started to swing because every time they found something wrong with my body, I
was trying to downplay it."
Considered a danger to himself, Wu was checked into a mental health facility.
As of 2017, Wu's YouTube channel is public again, but he often makes posts private shortly
after making them.
There were rumors that Wu joined a cult during his recovery, but he insists the Buddhist
organizations he became involved with are no such thing.
LisaNova
After graduating from the University of Colorado/Boulder, aspiring actress Lisa Donovan headed west
in pursuit of the Hollywood dream.
When her creative partner suggested she use YouTube to launch her career, Donovan created
her channel in 2006.
Before long, her internet persona, LisaNova, was making the main page on the regular.
She caught the eye of a casting director, and made her MADtv debut in 2007.
Then, in 2009, she founded Maker Studios with her brother — and in 2011, she stopped making
videos.
Disney bought Maker for $500 million in 2014 and, with the exception of a cameo in 2015's
The Wedding Ringer, Donovan's been flying under the radar ever since.
Hannah Minx
Hannah Wagner was one of YouTube's earliest Japanophiles, known for dressing up as anime
characters and giving high-pitched Japanese lessons on her channel, MissHannahMinx.
She made her first video in 2009 — which amassed 450,000 views and launched her YouTube
stardom.
But in 2013, she suddenly vanished from social media without a trace.
While fans assumed the worst when her latest online presence dated back to 2013, Gazette
Review discovered that Wagner had left if all behind to start a family.
Mac Freeman
Mac Freeman's channel, WasteTimeChasingCars, was created in 2006 and soon became one of
the platform's go-to places for comedy shorts.
In 2008, his videos "Kobe [KO-bee] Bryant Can't Jump Like Me!" and "Lightsabers are
Fun" went viral, catapulting him to stardom.
But in late 2012, after five years and 65 videos, he suddenly stopped uploading.
While most YouTubers who vanish do end up resurfacing at some point, Freeman is one
of the few who hasn't as of yet, much to the disappointment of his fans.
One faithful subscriber wrote,
"It is so sad to see someone like Mac just leave with no goodbye or at least a notice."
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