YouTube firearms expert Paul Harrell announced his death Tuesday in a pre-recorded video.
“He everyone, let me get right to the point, Harrell said in the opening of the video posted to his YouTube channel, which he said was made on Dec. 20.
“I’m recording this and giving Brad instructions to publish it upon my death, so if you’re watching me, I’m dead,” he said, referring to Brad Nelson, his manager.
“Now a few months ago I sat here on this log, and told you I’d been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I told you we caught it early and we were going to be here for some time. Well, we did catch it early but not as early as I had thought and it has spread faster than I thought,” he said.
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“You may have seen me recently using this crutch when I told you I broke my hip. Well, I did break my hip, but it wasn’t because I was in any kind of accident, it was because the cancer spread to my bones,” he said.
“The bones just crumbled and my hip fractured and I fell down,” he said.
Harrell noted that “My goal in doing all of this was, yes, to have fun, do some things that were fun, but primarily to put out useful information. Or if not useful at least interesting information.
“And what I really hope is that, as you’re watching me, you’ve seen some things that have made you say, ‘Oh I get it, OK,’” he said.
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“The final I would want to say is, my sincere apologies. I had hoped that I would continue in this format for the next 10 or even 15 years. And even once I was diagnosed I had hoped we would be here two or three more years, and it’s turned out to only be a few more months. And my apologies for that. It really makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down,” he said.
“I guess the final line, I have not really rehearsed this, is that I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to do all of the stuff that we’ve done,” he said.
“I really hope it’s been helpful and I really appreciate you watching, commenting and participating, and I have probably very few regrets in what we’ve done here,” he said.
“So, as always, don’t try this at home and thanks for watching,” he said as his part of the video ended.
I just learned and was given permission to share that Paul has passed. A true lion of men, a paragon of integrity, the gun dad of the internet, and a role model for us all. May he continue inspire and call us to be better and do more. Rest in peace. #paulharrell #2ndamendment pic.twitter.com/uGE2gIFchx
— Tom Grieve (@AttyTomGrieve) September 3, 2024
Paul Harrell’s brother Roy said the channel will endure without his brother.
“It was his wish that I maintain his legacy through this channel. He will remain an inspiration to us all,” Roy Harrell said.
The channel had 1.2 million subscribers. As of Friday, the video had been viewed more than 4 million times.
According to an obituary on legacy.com, Paul Harrell was 58, and was a veteran who served in the Marine Corps and the Army.
