Who Was Michael Duarte And What Happened To Him? GoFundMe Raise Around USD 58,000 After His Demise

Food and barbecue content creator, Michael Duarte, better known as 'Food With Bear Hands,' has passed away, leaving his family and friends in shock. Without revealing many details, his family described that he died in a 'horrible incident' while he was travelling in Texas. For those unaware, the California-based influencer was just days past his ninth wedding anniversary with his wife, Jessica, and is now survived by his six-year-old daughter, Oakley. Here's everything you must know about him and the 'horrible incident'. 

What was the cause of death of Michael Duarte?

Michael Duarte's untimely death has been confirmed by his talent agency, Alooma Media Group. They called him their 'valued client and dear friend'. His family added that they have yet to decide about the funeral preparations for Michael, but they will update fans about it later. Additionally, they shared a family picture of Michael and expressed their gratitude from Michael's family to his fans for their love and support during this difficult time. The statement read:

"It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our valued client and dear friend, Michael Duarte. The funeral plans for Michael are undecided at this time, but we will update you all at a later date. The family deeply thanks you for your love and support as they grieve through this tragic loss."

As fans are extending their support for Michael, the details of his demise remain largely unconfirmed. Moreover, the family has asked for privacy as they grieve. It is another major loss for the food and BBQ community, who shared tribute messages and called him 'one of the best in the field. Meanwhile, Michael's death is another blow to the culinary world this week after South African TV chef and presenter, Mynie Steffens, was killed in a helicopter crash at 43.

What has GoFundMe raised USD 58,000 after his demise?

According to the fundraising page and media reports, Michael Duarte's death occurred on November 8, 2025, when he was traveling through Texas with his family. The exact nature of the 'horrible incident' has not been publicly clarified. Following the tragic incident, a fundraiser titled 'In Loving Memory of Michael Duarte (aka Food With Bear Hands) was launched on the crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe, by organizer Nena Petricca of El Cajon, California. The campaign is established to reach the community to support Jessica and their son, Oakley, in this difficult time. Meanwhile, the fundraiser has raised over USD 60,000 so far towards its USD 100,000 goal. Describing the situation of Michael's family, it read:

 "This heartbreak came without warning, leaving Jessica to incur the expense of bringing  im back home to California and covering funeral expenses."  

Who was Michael Duarte? 

News of Michael Duarte's death has been circulating online, and several fans and collaborators of the influencer have recalled his journey from humble beginnings to success. Michael learnt cooking at his uncle's Mexican restaurant and soon began creating viral grilling videos, which went viral on the internet. Although the cause of the incident remains under investigation or undisclosed, the community has now decided to support his family. 

Michael grew up in Calipatria, California, and at 18 moved to San Diego to build his career. After working in restaurants, he turned to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic and shared cooking and grilling content under his social media handle, 'Food with bare hands'. In fact, his Instagram bio once read, 'My purpose is to share world food with people who need it the most.' He had a combined following of over two million across platforms and was known in the barbecue community for his engaging style and generosity. In memory of Michael Duarte, his fans and followers are encouraged to donate, share his story, and keep his commitment to 'share' food with those who need it.

We send our heartfelt condolences to Michael Duarte's family in this difficult time

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