Benjamin Daniel Breedlove (August 8, 1993 – December 25, 2011) was an American Internet personality from Austin, Texas, known for his vlogs on YouTube. On the night of December 25, 2011, he died from complications of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the age of 18.
Life and career
Ben Breedlove grew up in Austin, Texas, where he was a senior at Westlake High School. Ben lived with his parents along with his older sister Ally and younger brother Jake. In 2010, he began making video blogs on YouTube, in which he dealt out relationship advice to his peers.
Breedlove created the OurAdvice4You channel on YouTube in November 2010 with friends, Justin Miller and Megan Parken. On May 23, 2011, he launched his second channel, BreedloveTV, where he would answer questions about dating, relationships, and advice.
At an early age, Breedlove had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
"This Is My Story" viral video
On December 18, 2011, Breedlove released a two-part video on YouTube, titled "This is my story", in which Breedlove revealed his heart condition as well as the impact it had on his life, using note cards. He also mentioned three near-death experiences. On May 5, 2009, Breedlove underwent surgery to insert a pacemaker. The pacemaker helped regulate his heart rhythm. In the video he shows a red scar on his chest, where the pacemaker had been inserted.
Death
Breedlove died due to cardiac arrest on the evening of Christmas Day 2011.
Aftermath
Media coverage and memorials
News of his death received media attention from around the world, on 27 December, two days after his death, his story first appearing on Australia's Ninemsn before coverage spread out through the world on other major media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, ABC, CBS News, MSNBC, Fox News, MTV, The Independent, Herald Sun, The Washington Post, People Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
On December 29, Breedlove's funeral was held at the Gateway Church, in Austin, Texas. More than 1,400 people attended the service, and another 11,000 watched online. He was interred at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery in Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA. A day after Breedlove's death, Kid Cudi said in reaction, "This has really touched my heart in a way I can't describe, this is why I do what I do." Cudi later dedicated his third studio album Indicud (2013), to Breedlove and all his fans that have died; the dedication can be found in the album's liner notes.
HCMA and the HEARTS Act
On January 5, 2012, the HCMA announced that they mourn the death of Breedlove and are encouraging their members to "tell their stories the same way as Ben." Lisa Salberg, founder and CEO of HCMA, along with New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. had worked together in drafting the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment, and Training in the Schools (HEARTs) act. The Bill was introduced in January 2012 to Congress.
The Westlake High School Student Council and Friday Night Fan Stand collected donations for the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association during the Ben Breedlove Memorial Football Game which took place at the Westlake football stadium on September 21, 2012. Fans wore white as a show of support and a moment of silence was observed. Funds collected were used for educational efforts relating to the disease that claimed Breedlove's life.
Africa New Life Ministries
On December 27, 2011, the Ben Breedlove Memorial Fund was created at Africa New Life Ministries.
2013 Tournament of Roses Parade
On January 1, 2013, Ben Breedlove was honored in a florograph on the Donate Life float, titled "Journeys of the Heart". Family members and friends contributed to the florograph which was then placed on the float.
When Will The Heaven Begin? On October 29, 2013, the book, When Will The Heaven Begin? was released by Penguin Publishers. The book was listed on The New York Times Best Seller List beginning the first week of the release date. The memoir of Ben's life is written by his sister Ally Breedlove with Ken Abraham. The title of the book is taken from the lyric of the song "Mr. Rager", written and performed by Kid Cudi. Ben stated that during his second cardiac arrest, he had a vision of being in a peaceful, white room, in which his favorite rapper Kid Cudi, appeared alongside him as the lyrics to the song "Mr. Rager", began playing.
To Heaven and Back CNN television special
On December 1, 2013, CNN aired an Anderson Cooper special highlighting the near-death stories of Dr. Mary Neal, Anita Moorjani and Benjamin Breedlove.