A popular YouTuber says he’s considering euthanasia in Switzerland because chronic pain has made it too difficult for him to create content and left him with hordes of bills.
Max Gilardi, 38, who posts animations on the site under the handle hotdiggedydemon, made the shocking announcement on a livestream Saturday.
“After considering every option I could think of, ultimately that solution has taken the form of doctor-assisted euthanasia,” Gilardi said.
Gilardi rose to fame partly by posting animated videos parodying popular franchises such as Five Nights at Freddy’s and My Little Pony, amassing more t han 2.1 million subscribers and nearly 500 million views.
But a series of health issues, starting with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia – an illness that causes chronic pain throughout the body – in 2024 have slowed down his ability to produce videos, he said.
“I’m tired all the time. I spend a lot of my time lying down. I get a lot of bad pain in all my joints and my muscles, ankles, shins, hands, knees, hips, neck. I have a lot of difficulty sleeping,” Gilardi said.
The animator also detailed a series of health issues he claimed doctors still can’t seem to explain, such as sudden drooling and difficulty speaking – as well as the rising cost of his medical bills.
“There’s nothing more expensive than living,” Gilardi said.
His decision to potentially end his life came after a long deliberation and looks like a “natural conclusion,” he said.
“My existence has become one where I suffer and barely scrape by so I can continue to sustain an existence where I barely scrape by and suffer,” Gilardi said.
He said he plans to go to Switzerland for the life-ending move, erroneously stating that euthanasia is legal in the country.
Swiss law bans euthanasia, which is mainly administered by a health professional, though the country allows for assisted suicide, meaning that the person who wants to die technically administers the death blow themselves.
Backlash to the announcement has led to Gilardi saying that he plans to reconsider ending his life, at least for the time being.
“Decided I’m not thinking clearly, will reassess,” he said in an X post Sunday.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
