Tributes have poured in for a much-loved food influencer following his death from colon cancer at just 28 years old.
Juanjo Melendez, from Sevilla, passed away last Thursday after a brave two years of fighting the disease.
To his fans, he was better known as JuanJyoza, the name of his popular food review channel on YouTube, which amassed more than 70,000 subscribers before his death.
It has since surpassed 80,000, after his friends launched a campaign to break the 100,000 barrier (click here to follow his channel).
Announcing his death in a statement, his family said: ‘On October 23, Juanjo, or as you know him here, Juanjyoza, left us after fighting for almost two years against the terrible disease that is cancer.
‘Throughout this time, and despite being aware of his condition, he never stopped creating and uploading content, even during the most difficult moments.
‘All your love and support have been a tremendous help in getting through his final days. The thousands of comments received on all his social media accounts show that he has become a true inspiration for all of us. Don’t forget to live.’
In December 2023, after undergoing several medical tests due to persistent discomfort, Juanjo was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with metastases in the peritoneum.
He found an outlet and motivation in his video channel, where he also shared the ups and downs of his illness with his followers.
He recently uploaded a farewell video from the hospital, sending an important message to his followers to enjoy life.
He said: ‘This video is simply to say that… a lot of times you’re on the couch and you just don’t feel like doing anything. And those feelings are silly, because there are people… I’m not saying one problem is bigger than another, but well, I don’t have the time anymore. That’s the problem.
‘If you have time, you can do things… So invest your time and focus on something you enjoy. And don’t obsess over the numbers, don’t obsess over views. Just do it because you like it, and everything will come in time.’
Finally, he thanked everyone for their support and reminded them that his videos will always be there.
‘I just wanted to tell you thank you for the support, thank you for being there,’ he said.
‘It’s been great… My videos will always be there; you can always watch them and remember. And watch this video whenever you need motivation because I think it will help you move forward with any projects you have. So don’t forget to live. See you in the next one.’
The inspirational video has racked well over 1.2 million views since it was uploaded.
Just a few days before he died, JuanJyoza uploaded his last video to his social media accounts in which he showed how he married the ‘love of his life’, Maria Seoane, in the hospital where he was admitted.
Accompanied by their witnesses and with two bouquets of flowers in their hands, the couple had an intimate and emotional civil ceremony, embracing each other the moment the notary declared them husband and wife after they exchanged their rings.
‘This was my wedding. We’ll celebrate it in Las Vegas,’ Juanjo commented at the end of the video.
