Jacob Payne, a popular gaming influencer widely known as Retro Jake, has died at the age of 29. His family confirmed his passing on Sunday, which came just days after it was announced he was suffering from severe heart failure.
Payne, who amassed over 510,000 followers on Instagram, frequently shared videos discussing his passion for retro video games. In a video posted to Instagram in late October, Payne had shared that he had been experiencing health issues. He initially sought medical attention after coughing up blood and was told a spot on his lung was likely pneumonia or an infection, not cancer. He expressed relief and gratitude, sharing in the video that doctors later confirmed he was "cancer free" and "infection free."
However, his condition took a severe turn. In an update from his mother shared via his video game store's official Facebook page, it was revealed that Payne had been admitted to the ER and was in severe heart failure. He was placed on a ventilator and experienced septic shock, with his kidneys and liver not receiving adequate blood flow. Doctors indicated he had only a few hours to live.
Despite the dire prognosis, his mother noted that Payne had "fought like crazy" and was making "tiny but meaningful steps forward" in his battle for life. His numbers were slowly improving, though he remained critically ill.
Following the news of his death, Payne's family issued an urgent warning to his followers about scammers attempting to exploit their grief. They cautioned against sending money or responding to suspicious inquiries, emphasizing that all official information would come directly from Retro Jake's official Facebook page.