Instagram Social media star Ethan Peters died at age 17.
Ethan Peters, better known as “Ethan Is Supreme” on his YouTube and social media channels, died from an apparent drug overdose on September 5, as reported by his best friend Ava Louise on Twitter. Peters was 17.
Ava Louise tweeted that Peters’ cause of death stemmed from taking two Percocets, a highly addictive opioid pain medication, according to Drugs.com.
“Addiction is a disease,” Ava Louise tweeted. “I had to pull Ethan aside in recent weeks and have talks with him about usage. Everyone close to him was scared. I just wish I f****** tried harder. I f****** wish I had yelled at him more. I wish I didn’t enable a single pill he popped.”
Peters, who garnered over 519,000 followers on Instagram and 138,000 subscribers on YouTube, was also memorialized by Ava Louise on Instagram. She wrote, “He was the only person I spoke to for months. I was all alone and struggling and Ethan inspired me again. He was here with me for my birthday 2 weeks ago and I’m so thankful I got to spend it with him. … We had our last FaceTime call last night and I am so so so sorry I cut it short.
“I can’t breathe,” Ava Louise continued. “This is the worst pain I ever felt. I’ve lost friends but never a best friend. Ethan saw me through my lows and celebrated my highs with me. He was so much more than what you all saw online.”
Ava Louise asked his fans to respect Peters’ family and give them privacy during this sensitive time. “Ethan f****** Peters, I’m gunna make sure your legacy lives on. You were meant for so much. The smartest teenager I knew,” she wrote. “I hope there’s an afterlife and you’re doing wild shit up there I really f****** do.”
Peters’ Final Instagram Post Was About Being Bullied
One day before Peters died, he shared a throwback photo of himself next to a picture of what he looks like now. He captioned the post, “Would just like to thank everyone who bullied me. I do this like once every year to see how much I’ve changed and the only thing that hasn’t is the dark circles sksks.”
Through his popularity on social media, Peters’ “I WENT TO THE WORST REVIEWED MAKEUP ARTIST IN HOUSTON” video racked up 3 million views alone. He also started his own brand, Hellboy, which sold sunglasses, t-shirts and chains.
Peters Said He Was ‘Basically’ Kicked out of School for Being Gay
Originally from Texas, Peters started his YouTube channel in 2017. In his second-ever video, Peters opened up about being kicked out of school for being gay.
Peters said that after he came out, he received support from his friends and fellow students at school and clarifies in the video that he wasn’t technically kicked out but it was heavily implied that the administration wanted him gone.
“They brought up the rule book about biblical morals and statements. They pulled that up and showed me the rule I’d broken, and I was like ‘Okay, I’m gonna be expelled. Is this okay?’ So, basically they’re asking us to borderline leave and they’re about to implement a rule that we need to leave.
“I want it to be known, I’m not bragging on myself, I don’t curse in school,” Peters added. “I don’t wear make-up in school. I don’t get in fights in school. I’m a good kid. I get good grades. My teachers liked me. … That’s how I know this wasn’t a situation of he actually is doing bad stuff online, this is a situation of where ‘I’m targeting you.’”
Heartfelt Tributes & Hateful Messages Filled Social Media Following the News of His Death
Peters was a beloved member of the online make-up influencer community. Cole Carrigan shared the following tribute to Peters on Instagram:
You have inspired me with your makeup looks ever since I first started makeup. You were my first real friend in this messed-up industry when I was nothing and treated me equal. You were my first collab I ever did and I felt so cool that you wanted to do it with me. The beauty community lost an extremely talented soul today and may you rest easy. my prayers go out to his family and closest friends, please dont hesitate to reach out if anything is needed. Love you Ethan.
R.I.P. Ethan Peters, from the moment I found you on social media I looked up to your immense talent. It breaks my heart to know you’ve left us. Another star gone way too soon. I know you had so much ahead of you and you didn’t deserve this. Rest Well Ethan you will be missed.
However, Peters also received a lot of hate online following news of his death. Users online tagged him in disturbing photos and expressed joy that Peters was dead, posts which Ava Louise was not happy to see.
She tweeted, “If anyone talks negatively about my friend and his actions over the past year he was battling addiction. If anyone has anything negative to say about addiction I will come for you with a vengeance. Speak positively of Ethan. He was an artist & inspiration. So talented.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can find help at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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