The internet is mourning a devastating loss. Michael Duarte, the popular influencer behind “FoodWithBearHands,” has died at age 36 following what his family describes as a “horrible accident” while traveling through Texas on November 8, 2025. The tragedy struck just three days after he celebrated his ninth wedding anniversary with wife Jessica, leaving behind a heartbroken family and a community of 2 million followers across social media platforms.
His talent agency, Alooma Media Group, confirmed the news on Instagram the following day. The announcement sent shockwaves through the digital food community, where Michael had built a reputation not just as an entertaining creator but as a genuinely kind person who used his platform to give back.
While travelling through Texas with his family, Michael was involved in what relatives have called a devastating accident. The exact circumstances surrounding his death haven’t been publicly disclosed, but his family emphasised that “this heartbreak came without warning.” The sudden nature of the tragedy has left his wife Jessica and their 6-year-old daughter Oakley facing an unimaginable loss.
The timing makes the tragedy even more poignant. Just 72 hours before the accident, Michael and Jessica had celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary on November 5, 2025. What should have been a joyful milestone became the final celebration of a love story cut tragically short.
Fellow content creator Aaron Hollcraft shared a telling story on Instagram about how Michael had sent him encouraging voice messages months earlier, offering tips and support to someone he’d never even met. “That was the person he was,” Hollcraft wrote.
Christopher Smith called Michael “truly one of the most talented and hard-working people in the industry,” while Donaldo Estevam revealed that Michael was “one of my first friends I ever made in this crazy industry.” These tributes painted a picture of someone who lifted others up, not just built his own platform.
Fans created their own memorials using the hashtags #CookForMichael and #FoodWithBearHands, posting cooking videos in his honour. A GoFundMe campaign organised by family friend Nena Petricca has raised over $60,000 toward a $100,000 goal to cover funeral expenses, transport Michael’s body back to California, and provide financial support for Jessica and Oakley.
Jessica’s Instagram tribute captured the heartbreak of losing not just a content creator, but a devoted husband and father. “To the world you were foodwithbearhands but to us you were a loving husband and father,” she wrote. “You didn’t deserve this. I will love you forever and I will be strong for our daughter and I know how much you loved us.”
Who Was Michael Duarte?
Michael’s journey to influencer success began far from the spotlight. Born and raised in Calipatria, California, a small border city near the Mexican border, he discovered his passion for cooking at the age of 14 while working in his uncle’s (Arthur Barros) Mexican restaurant, Nana Dora.
Raised by a single mother whom he described as “my mom and my dad,” Michael faced profound loss when she died of breast cancer when he was only 21.
After moving to San Diego at 18, Michael spent years working his way through various restaurants across the area. He was honing his culinary skills behind the scenes, never imagining that one day he’d be cooking for millions online. But the COVID-19 pandemic would change everything in ways he couldn’t have predicted.
The pandemic shutdown had a profound impact on Michael, both professionally and emotionally. The crisis triggered a breakdown that led him to seek treatment in rehabilitation. It’s a chapter of his life he courageously shared with his audience, breaking down the stigma around mental health struggles in the often-perfect-seeming world of social media.
During his recovery, Michael discovered something unexpected. He started posting cooking videos as a therapeutic outlet, with his first video featuring his young daughter, Oakley. “Looking back, I know that breakdown came from feeling like I had failed at life,” he later reflected. “That’s when I realised how happy creating content made me.”
That realisation sparked what would become a remarkable career. His signature approach to cooking, literally with his bare hands (the inspiration behind “BearHands”), combined with his focus on BBQ and grilling, resonated with audiences.
Michael partnered with companies like Sanderson Farms, Weber Grills, and Bear Mountain BBQ, turning his passion into a sustainable business. His sponsored content never felt forced because it aligned with his genuine love for cooking and sharing food.
Just months before his death, Michael achieved one of his most impressive milestones. His sponsored video for Sanderson Farms featuring “Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops” exploded to over 3.1 million views. The video landed at number two on Tubefilter’s “Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week” in July 2025, a remarkable achievement for a creator competing against channels with much larger subscriber bases.
His collaboration with The Cooking Guild to design a signature cleaver became particularly meaningful after his passing. The “Bear Hands Edition” knife, embossed with a bear, was selling steadily before the tragedy. When the company announced that sales would benefit his family’s fundraiser, the knife sold out entirely within a day, becoming a lasting memorial that his fans could hold onto.
