What began as a sudden illness turned into a life-or-death situation, and now Brandon Buckingham is speaking about how close it really was.
YouTuber Brandon Buckingham is known for exploring places and sharing his experiences, but this time, his latest experience is one he probably wishes he never had.
From YouTube Investigations to the ICU: Brandon Buckingham On His Health Crisis
Since July 2025, viewers noticed a significant drop in activity on Brandon Buckingham’s YouTube channel. In November 2025, he posted on X that his kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart were failing. On January 29, he finally shared an update on his condition on his YouTube channel.
He explained that his health problems began around June 2025 while he was filming a video about car thieves in Detroit. During that time, the car he was riding in was shot at. After that incident, he started experiencing insomnia and anxiety. Later, while attending the Shambhala EDM festival, he said he suffered what he described as a “mental breakdown.” From that point on, his health continued to deteriorate, including repeated vomiting episodes.
His condition did not begin to improve until November 18, when he overslept his dog’s vet appointment. His wife became worried and called the police, who found him delirious with severely swollen feet. On top of that, he was completely deaf in both ears. He was taken to urgent care, where doctors discovered his blood pressure had dropped to a critical 76/48. He was subsequently diagnosed with sepsis complicated by acute kidney injury, liver failure, pneumonia in both lungs, pancreatitis, and hyperkalemia.
Doctors later determined that an infection had spread through his lungs and bloodstream, causing sepsis pneumonia and multiple organ failure. They also discovered Coxsackievirus B, which was responsible for his heart failure. Once the correct diagnosis was made, doctors were able to treat him with the appropriate medication, allowing his condition to stabilize.
He is now out of immediate danger, and his liver, kidneys, and lungs have reportedly returned to “100 percent.” However, his heart remains permanently damaged, and he will likely need to take medication for the rest of his life.
On top of everything, his medical bills reportedly added up to around $450,000. A GoFundMe was launched while he was hospitalized in November, and so far it has raised approximately $330,000. He thanked everyone who supported him, whether through donations or prayers.
While the worst appears to be over, Brandon Buckingham’s recovery is far from complete. He is currently focusing primarily on his physical health, meaning he will not be filming new videos in the near future. However, he mentioned that he still has a substantial amount of raw footage, which he plans to edit and upload. As a result, fans can still look forward to new and exciting content. Hopefully, these projects will not take too much of a toll on his health and viewers will be able to see him back in action in good health before long.
