Chef and beloved food influencer Michael Duarte has tragically passed away.
The social media star, known online as foodwithbearhands, died on Saturday, apparently while traveling with family. His agency Alooma Media Group broke the news to his fans:
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our valued client and dear friend, Michael Duarte. Michael was so much more than a client to us at Alooma. He was a true & loyal partner, a trusted collaborator, and above all, a remarkable person. His passion, professionalism, and creativity left a lasting mark not only on our team but on everyone who had the privilege of working with him.”
The post continued, revealing Michael had a wife and daughter, Jessica and 6-year-old Oakley:
“Beyond his professional accomplishments, Michael was a devoted husband to his wife Jessica, a loving father to his daughter, brother and a loyal friend to so many around the world. His warmth, kindness, and generosity were felt in every interaction, and he had a way of making everyone around him feel valued and inspired. Michael’s passing is a tremendous loss to all who knew him. His legacy of integrity, compassion, and dedication will continue to live on through the lives he touched.”
It’s clear he was very loved. See the post (below):
You might know Michael as a star chef, but he was also very popular for his recipe content that he posted to his socials. He specialized in sharing his BBQ and grilling recipes, with his Mexican heritage inspiring a lot of his dishes.
Related: Influencer Blasted For Extremely Contagious Infection And Going To event Anyway!
A GoFundMe organized by his family gave us little more insight into what happened to the foodie — saying only that he died in a “horrible accident”:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Michael Duarte passed away in a horrible incident on Saturday, November 8th during his travel in Texas. Michael’s death occurred just 3 short days after he and his wife celebrated their 9 year wedding anniversary. The world may know him as “FoodwithBearHands”, but to us, he was a loving husband, father, brother, and a great friend to many. We ask that you lift Michael’s family up in prayer during this extremely difficult time, especially for his 6 year old daughter Oakley, and his wife Jessica. If you are able to financially assist, please consider donating.”
Ugh. Just 3 days after their anniversary! The tribute expressed how the “heartbreak” of Michael’s death “came without warning” but didn’t go into details about the shock passing. So… what actually happened?
As it turns out, “horrible accident” doesn’t really cover it… The Medina County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ on Wednesday it wasn’t so much of an “accident” as it was a standoff with cops…
Law enforcement sources confirmed that a 911 call prompted officers to respond to a disturbance in Castroville, Texas involving a “male subject with a knife acting erratically”. With paramedics already at the scene alongside the cops, Michael allegedly threatened a deputy. Then, “after multiple verbal commands were given for Duarte to get on the ground by the deputy, Duarte charged toward the deputy while yelling, ‘I’m going to kill you.’”
At this point, the deputy fired two rounds in self-defense, fatally wounding the influencer. Per reports, he was pronounced dead later at University Hospital in San Antonio.
JFC. What happened? How did he end up attacking cops with a knife?!
Shocking, to say the least. Such an awful situation, especially for the family he leaves behind. We’re sending them strength during this unimaginable time.
[Image via foodwithbearhands/Instagram]
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