credit @cooper.noriega
TikTok is an exciting phenomenon. It’s a social media platform, which certainly isn’t a new concept, but it’s also the platform on which numerous young kids have gone viral and grown famous practically overnight. Cooper Noriega is one of those young people. The TikTok star was found dead in June 2022 in Burbank, California, and the world was shocked. The young star was only 19 when he died, and his fans were horrified. What happened to the social media star?
How Did Cooper Noriega Become Famous?
He was 19 at the time of his death in 2022, which means he was only 16 when he began his social media career. Cooper Noriega joined TikTok in 2019. It didn’t take him long to realize that his videos were growing a quick following. He posted comedy videos, lip-syncing videos, and videos of himself on his skateboard. The kids of the world loved it enough to follow along, and he had more than 1.8 million followers at the time of his death. He also had channels on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. The latter channels are nowhere near as successful as his TikTok page. Each one boasted between 56k and 430k followers.
Cooper Noriega Has Been Open About His Health Issues
At the age of 9, he began suffering from addiction. It’s absurd to think a child of only 9 could suffer from addiction, but he did. His drug use is something he dealt with for more than a decade, but he worked diligently to overcome his substance abuse issues. He made many statements about it, including the fact that the most important lesson he learned about addiction is that the people you surround yourself with are essential. Spending time with negative people is a hard no because they don’t support a life of recovery or happiness. He posted an update to his followers on Twitter on January 10, 2021, that reads, “90 days clean!! Its been hard, but so much beauty during this process, its also crazy that 4 months ago, I was at such a low point; I had a deadly overdose/suicide attempt when I stopped breathing and was rushed to the ER, luckily someone found me before it was too late:)” he shared.
He Was Also Open About his Mental Health Issues
Struggling with addiction is often accompanied by mental health concerns. The two often go hand in hand, and Cooper Noriega knows this all too well. His mental health was always a problem for him, but it was a problem he was aware of. He spent years of his young life attempting to work through mental health issues, and he often found himself in a place he could not control. He admitted having suicidal thoughts on more than one occasion, which is a primary mental health concern. His previously mentioned twitter post is a prime example of him attempting suicide as well.
credit @cooper.noriega
Was Cooper Noriega’s Death Suicide?
It’s not a question anyone wants to ask. It’s not a question his own family wants to see plastered all over the internet. It’s not something they want to consider. However, fans wonder. Just hours before the young star was found dead, he shared a video online. In the video, he was in his bed lying down. The caption he shared with the video reads, “Who else b thinking they gon die young [as f**k].” Noriega was found only hours later in his car. He was unresponsive when a passerby noticed him, called 911, and help arrived. Sadly, the medics who arrived on the scene could not bring the young star back to life. No one knows, though, if he died by suicide. The coroner could not determine a cause of death following an autopsy, which means an ongoing investigation. However, in light of his mental health issues, his post before his death, and the fact that he struggled with addiction and had attempted suicide in the past, many of his fans wonder.
credit @cooper.noriega
Honoring the Family Wishes
If nothing else, Cooper Noriega’s family has handled his tragic and untimely passing with nothing but grace. Despite the sadness and emptiness, they feel following the loss of their son and brother, the family has asked his fans to feel free to reach out if they need someone. The support is something they welcome. Our deepest condolences for the family are on hand, and we only hope that anyone suffering like this young man was suffering has the support they need to find the help they deserve.