YouTube’s King of Random, Grant Thompson, has died following a paragliding accident. The native of South Jordan, Utah was only 38-years-old.

Thompson created the channel in 2010. Originally named after the exact time and date it was created, The King of Random YouTube channel has since gained millions of subscribers, and a fair share of notoriety for conducting experiments which were occasionally quite dangerous. But some of Thompson’s uploads displayed a creative side as well, such as one video showing viewers how to make gummy candy out of LEGOs, and another that sought to answer the question of what would happen if an ocean was boiled. All and all, Thompson’s channel has accumulated more than 10 million subscribers, and more than two billion views, in no small part thanks to his natural ability to blend a lighter side with far more risky endeavors.

BBC reports that concern was first raised after Thompson failed to return from a trip to Utah. With help from a GPS, which the YouTuber carried with him, authorities were able to locate his body on July 30. Additional reports have indicated Thompson was filming at the time of the accident, and that the footage will be used to identify the exact cause of death. Nate Bonham and Calli Gade, who've taken over as co-hosts of the YouTube channel in the last few years, posted a video promising that they would continue to upload content because it’s what Thompson would've wanted. The video, titled ‘Thank You, Grant’, featured a montage which included many of Thompson’s experiments. It's been viewed more than four million times. Logan Paul, one of the platform’s biggest stars, also posted his condolences online.

In an interview with Mediakix, in 2017, Thompson credited the experiments he’d done for adding to his sense of confidence. He said that he felt a little insecure in society because he didn’t know how things worked and felt dependent on the system. Mindful of the fact that he went from being uncertain to becoming a reliable source for others, Thompson expressed assurance that if there was some sort of unexpected collapse around him, then he’d be okay on his own.

Still, in the same interview, Thompson noted that one of his greatest joys was being able to empower others through difficult and even suicidal periods in their lives. He spoke specifically of the example of a father and his son, who might have a dysfunctional relationship, working together on a project they’d seen in one of his videos and growing closer as a result. Meeting with fans, getting to hear their experiences, he said, proved to him that his DIY spirit was something people really appreciated. Grant Thompson is survived by his wife and four sons.

Source: BBC