AVERY Garcia, a 12-year-old Pokémon card collector known online as Avery The Poke Kid, will be remembered in a private Celebration of Life on Sept 25, with a public livestream allowing supporters around the world to join the memorial.
Avery died on Sept 18 after living with pancreatic cancer for seven years, according to a memorial post shared by his parents, Christian Garcia and Rebecca Rosa-Valentin.
His Celebration of Life will be held from 3 pm to 8 pm, with the in-person service reserved for family, friends and those who knew him personally.
A public livestream will begin at 6 pm PST on Sept 25 – 9 am Malaysian time on Sept 26 – for members of the wider community who followed and supported Avery from afar.
His family said those wishing to attend in person should contact them directly.
In lieu of flowers, they have invited supporters who wish to help to contribute through the family’s GoFundMe.
Those wanting to send a Pokémon card or gift in Avery’s memory may also use the P.O. Box listed in his social media bio, although the family stressed there was no expectation to send anything.
“Your love, prayers, messages, and the way you continue to remember Avery and share his story means more to our family than we could ever express,” they said.
Avery had built a following through his enthusiasm for Pokémon cards and a belief that collecting was about finding cards that meant something personally rather than simply chasing rarity or value.
His parents said the hobby gave him something to look forward to through years of hospital visits and treatment.
Among his favourites was a Gold Star Pikachu, with Avery previously saying he identified with the character’s courage in facing difficult challenges.
Only weeks before his death, Avery had also spoken about his dream of reaching 100,000 YouTube subscribers and earning the platform’s Silver Creator Award.
The Pokémon community rallied around him and helped push the channel past the milestone within days. As of writing, Avery The Poke Kid had around 173,000 subscribers.
One of his final card-opening videos has since become particularly meaningful to those remembering him.
Avery pulled a special-illustration Jirachi card from a Pokémon 30th Anniversary pack, reacting with delight as he realised what he had found.
For fans, the pull carried added significance because Jirachi is closely associated in Pokémon lore with wishes and hope.
The moment eventually reached the card’s illustrator, Akira Egawa, who said she had been deeply moved after seeing Avery’s reaction.
“I want my art to bring happiness to people,” she wrote on X.
Fellow Pokémon creator BeardDadCardz, who had previously featured Avery and helped introduce him to a wider audience, also pledged to keep sharing his story and the kindness he brought to the community.
For Avery’s family, the memorial will be about carrying that spirit forward.
“Thank you for loving our handsome boy and for helping us carry his light forward,” they said.
