Left, MrBeast speaks onstage during YouTube Brandcast 2025 at David Geffen Hall in New York City on May 14, 2025. Right, Tyler Wall in an image posted to the GoFundMe for him. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for YouTube/GoFundMe
A Coach, A Challenge, and A Legacy That Outlived the Camera
I didn’t expect to cry watching a MrBeast video.
But then again, I didn’t expect a YouTube fitness challenge to turn into a real-life story about grief, resilience, and how one man’s presence can quietly change another person’s life forever.
This weekend, millions of viewers (myself included) hit play on “Lose 100 LBs, Win $250,000”, a title that, at first glance, sounds like another over-the-top challenge video from the world’s biggest YouTuber.
But buried inside the hype and heart-pounding cuts was a gut-wrenching twist that no one saw coming: the sudden passing of Coach Tyler Wall, a 38-year-old trainer who not only helped guide Majd through the challenge but became a mentor and friend to him during the process.
And even though Tyler’s time in the video, and in this world, was cut short, his impact hit way deeper than I think any of us were prepared for.
The Man Behind the Motivation
In the video, Majd is placed in an immersive, high-accountability fitness program set up by the MrBeast team. Unlimited healthy meals. A private gym. And a personal trainer who showed up day in and day out: Coach Tyler Wall.
Tyler wasn’t just shouting reps or timing sprints, he was showing up with presence, humor, and the kind of tough love that comes from someone who genuinely gives a damn. You could tell Majd wasn’t just being trained; he was being seen. And for anyone who's ever tried to make a massive change, you know how rare, and crucial, that kind of support is.
But then, around 80 days into filming, everything changed.
Tyler died unexpectedly on February 18, 2025.
Honoring a Life That Mattered
It’s hard to imagine continuing a challenge like this in the face of that kind of loss. But Majd made a decision, one that I found deeply moving.
“I can't let him down,” he says in the video.
And he didn’t. He finished the challenge in just 178 days.
The MrBeast team, before releasing the video, reached out to Tyler’s family, and they agreed: Tyler would’ve wanted his message of hope and positivity to reach the world. So the video stayed. And honestly? It might be one of the most emotionally honest things ever published on YouTube.
Cause of Death: The Reality and the Risks
Naturally, speculation swirled online. But let’s be clear: the official death certificate listed the manner of death as accident, with the cause being Mitragynine toxicity, an overdose involving kratom, a psychoactive herbal supplement.
Now, kratom’s a complicated substance. It’s derived from a plant called Mitragyna speciosa, and depending on the dose, it can act like a stimulant or a sedative. Some people use it to manage pain or anxiety. But experts, including Mayo Clinic and the FDA, warn of its addictive potential and serious health risks, especially in unregulated doses.
It’s another heartbreaking reminder that supplements, especially ones with opioid-like effects, aren’t automatically “safe” just because they’re natural. This isn’t the place to speculate on Tyler’s personal struggles, but it is a chance to remember the importance of awareness, regulation, and support around substances like kratom.
The Ripple Effect of a Good Man
What struck me most weren’t the stats or the headlines, it was the way people spoke about Tyler.
Majd, in an Instagram tribute, wrote:
“I love you, Coach Wall. The time we spent together are times I will cherish for the rest of my life. The things you taught me are applicable to all aspects of my life.”
Even Tyler’s own words in a post from early January hit different now. He wrote:
“I’ve had a consistent string of days I’ve been glad to wake up. My heart’s still beating, that’s a good thing... Life gives me exactly what I need, even if I don’t see what it is in the moment.”
Those are the words of someone fighting to stay hopeful. Someone real. Someone many of us could’ve known, or been.
A Legacy Bigger Than Views
The video now has over 86 million views. But this wasn’t just another viral drop for the MrBeast brand. This became a living tribute to someone who made a difference, in the quiet, daily, often invisible ways.
Fitness coaches don’t always get headlines. But the best of them transform people from the inside out. And Tyler did that. With integrity, consistency, and heart.
MrBeast himself said it best in his post on X:
“I thought this was going to be a normal video but it ended up being one of the most emotional and powerful pieces [of] content I’ve ever filmed.”
Final Reflection
We spend so much time chasing the finish line. Lose the weight. Win the money. Get the views. But sometimes, life hits pause to remind us what really matters.
The people who show up. The quiet sacrifices. The hands on our back when we’re too tired to keep going.
Coach Wall may be gone, but his story, and his spirit, will outlive the challenge. For Majd. For those 86 million viewers. For all of us who needed the reminder that behind every transformation is a human story.
One worth remembering.