Michael Duarte, a California-based food influencer who built a following of more than 2 million across social media platforms, died Saturday in what his family called a “horrible accident” while traveling in Texas.

Alooma Media Group, Duarte’s talent agency, confirmed his death in an Instagram post .

“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our valued client and dear friend, Michael Duarte,” the agency wrote. “He was a true & loyal partner, a trusted collaborator, and above all, a remarkable person.”

Duarte created cooking content under the handle “FoodWithBearHands,” posting BBQ and grilling videos across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. According to his Instagram bio , his purpose was “to share to the world food to people who need it the most.”

His wife

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