Oregon YouTuber, firearms educator dies: ‘If you’re watching me, I’m dead’

MCMINNVILLE Ore. (KPTV) – Paul Harrell, a well-known guns expert, supporter of the Second Amendment, and self-dubbed “gun dad of the internet,” died this week at the age of 58. He announced his passing via a pre-recorded YouTube video after an extended fight with pancreatic cancer.

Harrell sits on a downed tree in a forested area in the video, which he gave the straightforward title “I’m Dead.” He imparts the depressing news that his health has gotten worse and that he feels the end is close.

“My goal in doing all of this was primarily to put out useful information — or at least interesting information,” Harrell said about his YouTube career in the video, which has more than 2.3 million views in less than 24 hours of its posting.

“I had hoped I would continue in this format for the next 10, 15 years,” said Harrell in the video. “Even once I was diagnosed, I had hoped I would at least be here another two, three more years, which turned out to only be a few more months. My apologies for that, it really makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down.”

Over the course of a dozen years, Harrell built his YouTube channel into a comprehensive teaching resource covering everything from product reviews to gun safety information, and he even touched on some of the societal issues surrounding the Second Amendment.

“I’m really glad to have had this opportunity to do all of the stuff that we’ve done. I really hope it has been helpful, and I really appreciate you watching, commenting and participating,” said Harrell, thanking his 1.1 million subscribers.

“I have very few regrets in what we’ve done here. I think we’ve been for the most part successful and I hope you agree. So as always, don’t try this at home, and thanks for watching,” he said at the end of his final video.

Harrell co-owned Harrell Brothers in Arms LLC, based out of McMinnville, Oregon since 2012, according to the company’s website.

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