A YouTuber who loved to spend his days alone in the wilderness lost his life in a sudden snowstorm after spending a year hiking through the isolated Jokkmokk region in Sweden.

Storm De Beul was passionate about nature and poured it into a project documenting his solo adventures. Before passing away on October 30, the 22-year-old sent a heartbreaking final message to his grandmother, trying to reassure her of his survival.

“It’s snowing heavily here. But don’t worry, I’ll survive, you know,” he wrote before recording a video to a friend showing his tent being battered by the winds while snow filled his boots and backpack.

“It’s going to get worse. Jesus Christ,” he is heard saying in the clip without a hint of fear, a quality that his father, Bout, pointed out in an interview: “He was like that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him scared.”

A YouTuber sent a heartbreaking message to his family before passing away alone in a snowstorm while hiking

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

As the snowstorm kept raging, De Beul was forced to leave his tent to seek help as it had become unable to protect him further. His mother, Elisabeth, believes the winds blew his tent away, leaving his son with no choice but to face temperatures as low as -18 degrees.

“He must have suffered for a long time and died alone,” the mother said, devastated. “I can’t stop thinking about his final moments.”

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

When rescue operatives found the body of De Beul, his feet and lower legs were completely frozen. His nose was also broken, presumably due to falling on his face after his lower half gave in to the cold.

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

For De Beul’s family, the realization that just one more day could’ve saved their son’s life has been painful, as he was close to his car and about to leave the wilderness for his home before the snow caught up to him.

The YouTuber’s father has vowed to return to the place his son lost his life, in hopes of recovering De Beul’s camera

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

Before losing his strength, the 22-year-old was able to contact emergency services and request help, stating that he was injured. However, due to the severity of the storm, rescuers couldn’t reach him in time, and by the time a helicopter was deployed the next day, De Beul had already passed away.

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

Bout, the hiker’s father, has vowed to return to where he lost his son once spring arrives, hoping to find his belongings, specifically his camera. “His videos are a priceless legacy for us,” he stated.

“His camera is still there, somewhere in the snow. I would love to get it back.”

Image credits: StormOutdoorsy

De Beul reached 1,320 subscribers and uploaded 14 videos to his channel @StormOutdoorsy. His recordings show a remarkable eye for cinematography and detail, capturing beautiful images of nature with professional-level quality.

The videos also have excellent audio quality, which De Beul coupled with serene images of the wilderness to create what he referred to as “ASMR camping trips,” hoping to provide his viewers with relaxation and the experience of being in nature alongside him.

Image credits: Tomás Robertson / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

Netizens emphasized the 22-year-old’s passion for nature, with many posthumously congratulating him for his work and subscribing to his channel.

“We know how this young man felt. He just wanted peace and quiet in life, and the way the world is now, you can generally only find that on your own. I admire his strength, his bond with nature, and ironically, he would have been a good friend for many,” one viewer wrote. “Rest in peace, you brave soul.”

“What a great fun-loving guy, full of light. My heart hurts for his family,” another said.

“A young man, who did what more young men should do: venture out and connect to real life, nature, survival. All of us sitting behind our phones should admire the energy behind this,” a reader noted.

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“I hope his parents find peace in the fact that he did what he died doing what he loved.”

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