Popular TikTok influencer Joshua Blackledge has passed away at the age of 16. According to an obituary, the social media star died at his home in Newport, North Carolina, on March 18. The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed. Blackledge, who had amassed over a million followers, was best known for sharing lip-syncing videos and clips of himself spending time with friends. Following the tragic news, his girlfriend, Emmie Gillikin, posted an emotional tribute on social media.

“Missing this sweet boy right now. Never would’ve thought I would have been here without you,” she wrote. “Josh showed me what love really was even [though] I’m very young. He never failed to put a smile on my face no matter how mad I was at him… Even after these past couple days, nothing seems real and I’m feeling all the emotions.”

Addressing speculation surrounding his passing, Gillikin urged people to stop spreading false information. In a TikTok post, she clarified: “The rumours going around about Josh are not true, and people are taking it way too far. Josh was never bullied. Everyone always loved him as a friend and even just someone they knew. If you don’t really know what happened, don’t spread fake rumours.”

In a pinned TikTok post from November last year, Blackledge reflected on his relationship with Gillikin, explaining that they had met two years prior and had been dating for five months at the time. A “celebration of life” was held in his honour on Sunday, March 23, as noted in an obituary shared by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home. Friends, fans, and followers also flooded the obituary site with condolences, paying tribute to the young influencer.

His final TikTok, posted on March 14, featured him posing with friends by a white truck. In the wake of his passing, many viewers expressed shock and disbelief that he was gone just days after sharing the video.

Joshua Blackledge is survived by his parents, Jonathan and Jackie Blackledge, as well as his brother, Josiah.