Creators Pay Respect to Yosemite Bear, Dead At 57

Paul L. Vasquez has passed away at the age of 57, after sharing he was in ill-health.

Vasquez, who was better known online as Yosemite Bear, is best known for his Double Rainbow video, which went viral in 2010 after being tweeted out by late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel.

The video was filmed outside of Vasquez’s home and features two rainbows. With over 47 million views, the video grew in popularity as a result of his reaction to the sight.

News of his death came about on 10 May, with fellow YouTuber Hank Green being one of the first to share the news via Twitter. In his tweet, he said:

“I’m one of the millions of people who will never be able to look at a double rainbow without hearing Yosemite Bear’s voice and remembering that it’s OK to be completely overtaken by beauty and joy.”

I'm one of the millions of people who will never be able to look at a double rainbow without hearing Yosemite Bear's voice and remembering that it's ok to be completely overtaken by beauty and joy. Just a part of his legacy, but what a beautiful one. Goodbye buddy.

— 🌈🌈 (@hankgreen) May 11, 2020

After reaching viral fame, Vasquez continued to stay involved in the YouTube community. Along with regularly attending VidCon in Anaheim, California, he would consistently document his life via videos uploaded to his channel.

In a video uploaded this past November, he shared that he’d suffered nerve damage in his legs, which had made it increasingly difficult for him to walk.

we stayed in touch with him over the years and…he was exactly as beautiful a spirit as you would hope he would be. We love you always Yosemite Bear 💔🌈💔 🌈

— 🌈The Gregory Brothers🌈 (@gregorybrothers) May 11, 2020

Numerous creators have taken to Twitter to share their condolences, with others revisiting Vasquez’s viral video and sharing it with their followers.

Lex Croucher shared: “Remembering how pleased we always were to see him at VidCon, and how pleased he always seemed to see us. What a guy.”

“I’m really sad about Yosemite Bear, the Double Rainbow guy,” said Connor Manning. “Genuinely one of the kindest people I ever met. Always made a point to say hello and remembered me, even though we only met a couple of times.”