Respected firearms expert, Second Amendment proponent and “gun dad of the internet” Paul Harrell died this week at the age of 58 — posthumously releasing a pre-recorded YouTube video announcing the end of his lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
In the video — which he gave the no-nonsense title “I’m Dead” — Harrell sits on a felled tree in a wooded area and shares the sad news that his health has taken a turn for the worse and he fears the end is near.
“My goal in doing all of this was primarily to put out useful information — or at least interesting information,” Harrell said of his YouTube career in the video, which racked up more than 1.5 million views within 12 hours of its posting.
A crutch can be seen leaning on the tree to his left, which he said he uses as the result of a broken hip he suffered as the disease attacked his bones.
“I had hoped I would continue in this format for the next 10-15 years. Even once I was diagnosed I had hoped I would at least be here another 2-3 more years, which turned out to only be a few more months. My apologies for that, it really makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down.”
He said he recorded the video on Dec. 20 of last year.
Harrell grew his YouTube channel over 12 years into a vast educational resource for everything from product reviews to gun safety knowledge, even touching upon some of the cultural issues around the Second Amendment.
Despite being highly knowledgeable and passionate, he wasn’t a culture warrior — instead he was known for his humble and approachable style, which some compared to a wise and kindly father or uncle.
“A true lion of men, a paragon of integrity, the gun dad of the internet, and a role model for us all,” attorney and fellow YouTuber Tom Grieve shared on X after Harrell’s passing was announced.
“I’m really glad to have had this opportunity to do all of the stuff that we’ve done. I really hope it has been helpful, and I really appreciate you watching, commenting and participating,” he said, thanking his audience of over 1.1 million subscribers for the years of loyalty.
“I have very few regrets in what we’ve done here. I think we’ve been for the most part successful and I hope you agree. So as always, don’t try this at home, and thanks for watching,” he said in his final sign-off.
The video ends with a brief addendum from his brother, Roy, and video editor, who spoke glowingly of “generous and kind” Harrell, and said they intend to keep his legacy going by continuing to post content on the channel.