Avery the Poke Kid Dies at 12 After Nearly Eight Years of Battling Rare Pancreatic Cancer

Avery Garcia, the young Pokémon fan known online as “Avery the Poke Kid,” has died at the age of 12 after nearly eight years of battling a rare form of childhood pancreatic cancer.

Avery was diagnosed with pancreatoblastoma, a rare malignant tumor of the pancreas, when he was around 5 years old. Over the years, he endured numerous surgeries, radiation treatments and other medical procedures, while twice previously entering hospice care.

Despite the enormous challenges of his illness, Avery found joy in Pokémon and sharing his journey online. He began posting videos and photos under the name “Avery the Poke Kid,” documenting his treatments and opening Pokémon card packs for a rapidly growing community.

Earlier in September, Avery achieved one of his biggest dreams when he surpassed 100,000 YouTube subscribers. His family celebrated the milestone and thanked the Pokémon community for rallying behind him. Across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, Avery had built a following of more than 600,000 people.

But on September 17, Avery’s parents, Christian Garcia and Rebecca Rosa-Valentin, announced that his cancer had progressed extensively. New scans showed tumors in both lungs, as well as tumors in his liver and shoulder. The family said they had entered hospice care for the third time and were focusing on keeping Avery comfortable and spending as much time together as possible.

The following day, Avery was taken to the hospital for what his parents initially believed would be a routine visit. Instead, his condition changed rapidly, and the family realized they were nearing the end.

They brought Avery to the hospital’s rooftop garden, one of his favorite places. There, his parents and loved ones held him, told him how deeply they loved him and stayed beside him as he took his final breath at approximately 7 p.m. on September 18.

His parents later shared the devastating news with Avery’s online community, thanking the hundreds of thousands of people who had followed his journey, prayed for him, watched his videos and helped bring happiness into his life.

They also asked the community to give the family time, privacy and space to grieve.

For nearly eight years, Avery faced a disease that repeatedly threatened his life. Yet during his final year, he built a community around something he loved, reached a dream he had worked toward and brought joy to countless Pokémon fans around the world.

At just 12 years old, Avery leaves behind a digital community that grew around his courage, his love of Pokémon and the happiness he continued to share even while fighting cancer.

Source: Reddit