Oliver Tree's mother, Christine Begin Nickell, revealed that the late musician was in good spirits during their last conversation before his fatal helicopter crash on June 14 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nickell spoke at a celebration of life event held at the University of California, Santa Cruz's Quarry Amphitheater, according to a YouTube livestream of the event.
Nickell recounted a FaceTime call with her son the day before the crash, during which she inquired about his progress in quitting smoking as he had promised to do while on tour. "He FaceTimed me immediately and let out a huge puff of cigarette smoke in my face - but he was so happy and excited about life that day," Nickell told attendees. She added that her son was looking forward to traveling to a mountain house "to make TikToks and music with his friends," describing his enjoyment of "epic days - each one more memorable than the last."
The crash also claimed the lives of 23-year-old YouTube star Gaspar 'Gaspi' Prim, 23; director/screenwriter Lucas Vignale, 29; music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, 21; and pilots Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza.
Memorial Events and Tributes
The celebration of life event featured tribute clips, musical performances, and speeches. Three caskets, each representing a different persona Tree adopted in his work, were on display. Among the notable attendees were Logan Paul, Diplo, and Ethan Klein. Logan Paul described Tree as "everyone’s best friend," an "adventurer with an incomparable zest for life," and someone with the "ultimate ability to make anyone feel seen and heard."
Donations made at the memorial are being directed to the Oliver Tree Foundation for Baby Geniuses, an organization established to support emerging artists. Another tribute, a paddle-out memorial, is scheduled for Monday morning at Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, sponsored by the Santa Cruz Board Riders.
Personal Tributes
Prior to the memorial event, Nickell posted a childhood photo of her son on June 18, expressing gratitude for his life. "Our dear son Oliver, you made this world a better place," Nickell wrote on Facebook. "We are so proud of you. RIP."
Oliver Tree's girlfriend, Fiona Chernavskaya, also shared a tribute on Instagram Stories, thanking followers for their support. She reflected on their travels to "43 countries, and all 7 continents together" and stated, "The magic, inspiration and joy you brought to my life and others, will never be forgotten or replaced."
Artist's Philosophy on Legacy
Tree's final concert was on June 6 in São Paulo, Brazil, with a performance in Lisbon, Portugal planned for July 1. In an April interview on The Zach Sang Show, while promoting his album "Love You Madly Hate You Badly," Tree discussed his views on wealth and legacy. He stated that upon his death, none of his wealth would go to family members beyond helping with college expenses for any potential children, and that his will stipulated that all his money would return to artists.
"The idea is when I die, all the money's gonna go back to artists," Tree said. "So I've set up a foundation. It's called Dr. Oliver Tree's Art Grants for Baby Geniuses." He explained that the foundation would primarily utilize interest generated from his music, anticipating that an artist's work often gains more attention and value posthumously. "People will finally appreciate my stupid fing videos, my fing stupid songs - that's when people appreciate you when you're not there anymore," he remarked.