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TikTok star Michael Willis Heard, known online as “Yes King”, has died, leaving millions of fans grieving worldwide. Rising from a viral meme to a powerful voice for confidence and self-worth, he turned a simple catchphrase into a daily affirmation of self-love, especially for queer and marginalised communities. His passing has sparked emotional tributes, edits and hashtags celebrating his impact, ensuring his message of love, healing and empowerment continues far beyond his lifetime.
The internet has fallen quiet for a voice that was anything but.
Michael Willis Heard - the creator behind the viral “Yes King” sound and the @LoveAndLightTV person has died, prompting a wave of grief and gratitude across TikTok, Instagram, and X. His daughter, Mykel Crumbie, confirmed his passing in a heartfelt social media post on November 9, 2025, sharing photos of her father surrounded by family and calling him the greatest man she’d ever known.
In life, he was a meme, a mentor, a lightning rod and, for millions, a daily dose of courage. In death, he’s become a symbol of how one voice, one short audio clip, can change the emotional temperature of the internet.
Michael Willis Heard wasn’t just a TikTok creator who “went viral once.”
Operating under the handle @LoveAndLightTV, he built a devoted following with short, direct videos where he looked straight into the camera and told people to love themselves, set boundaries, and step into their power.
His signature style was simple but magnetic:
In a social media landscape filled with drama and clapbacks, he carved out space for gentle but firm encouragement. For many people – especially those dealing with anxiety, relationship struggles, or self-esteem issues, his clips became a kind of pocket-sized therapy session.
Ironically, the phrase that made him world-famous didn’t come from a self-help monologue at all.
According to coverage of his life and the meme’s origins, the iconic “Yes King” audio was originally lifted from an explicit adult clip he filmed with a male partner that later spread on X (formerly Twitter). In the short exchange, he asks if something feels good; his partner replies with the now-legendary “Yes, king.” That snippet was clipped, shared, and quickly adopted as a TikTok sound.
Once the sound hit TikTok, it took on a life of its own:
And with that, Michael Willis Heard wasn’t just a creator anymore; he was a voice embedded in internet culture.
The first wave of shock arrived when fans started sharing screenshots of a post by his daughter, Mykel Crumbie, confirming that her father had died. She wrote emotionally about missing him, describing his love and compassion as unmatched and saying she felt blessed to have him as her dad.
Here’s what has been publicly reported so far:
Some collaborators and media outlets have mentioned that he may have suffered an asthma attack that led to a heart attack, leaving him in a coma before his death, but these accounts are based on secondary testimony and remain unconfirmed.
Out of respect for his family and in line with responsible reporting – it’s important to treat the cause-of-death details as unverified unless and until they are confirmed by relatives or medical authorities.
As soon as the news spread, social feeds around the world began to fill with:
Fans and fellow creators have been posting messages like “RIP Yes King” and “You’ll always be the king,” while others talk about how his videos kept them going during depressive episodes or heartbreak.
Several tribute trends have emerged:
In a space that often moves on from news in hours, the conversation around Michael Willis Heard has stayed active for days, which says a lot about how deeply he resonated with people.
Michael Willis Heard’s story doesn’t fit neatly into a single box and that’s part of why so many people saw themselves in him.
Reports describe him as a former preacher and counselor who later transitioned into adult content and online coaching, talking openly about sexual wellness, relationships, and spiritual growth.
He was openly queer (pansexual) and polyamorous, lived very publicly, and attracted both admiration and criticism. Some people loved him for his honesty and freedom; others judged his lifestyle harshly. In her tribute, his daughter called out those who had “wished death on him” but emphasized that he always approached people with love.
That tension between being judged and choosing to love loudly anyway, is part of what made his content so powerful. He wasn’t talking about self-love in theory; he was modeling what it looks like to be fully yourself in a world that doesn’t always understand you.
For many fans, grieving Michael Willis Heard isn’t just grieving a viral sound. It’s grieving:
In an age where parasocial relationships (one-sided emotional bonds with creators) are common, his passing is a reminder of how real those connections can feel. The people crying over his edits aren’t just mourning a meme; they’re mourning someone who helped them get out of bed, leave a bad relationship, or take their first tiny step toward self-respect.
It’s easy to dismiss internet culture as shallow, but Michael Willis Heard’s life tells a different story. With a handful of phrases and a phone camera, he:
His audios will keep circulating. New creators will continue to use his “Yes King” sound over their success stories, glow-ups, and quiet victories. His daughter and loved ones will keep reminding the world that behind the meme was a father, a partner, a friend who cared deeply and gave generously.
The sound may be just a few seconds long, but the message is bigger:
You’re allowed to take up space.
You’re allowed to love yourself loudly.
And when you do? Somewhere in the background, his voice is still there, saying: Yes, king.
For questions or comments write to contactus@bostonbrandmedia.com
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