In August of 2020, porn star Koldo Goran tweeted about three fellow performers who had recently died. Goran’s tweet was the only public notice that one of them, Dani Rivera, had been murdered. “I realize nobody talks about it, we are unprotected and forgotten;” Goran tweeted “We are humans, people, enough of contempt.”
Most gay news outlets choose to ignore the passing of all but the biggest names in the adult film industry. Porn companies also seem reluctant to broadcast the death of a performer who is still on their roster, forever young and willing in their website content. An obituary is a real boner killer, ya know? Why jeopardize the profit margin?
Adam Awbride recently addressed this issue in a tweet. He filmed content for his OnlyFans page with performers that had recently passed away. He posed the question to his followers: Should the scenes should be released to celebrate their lives? Or should they be left in the can (so to speak)? Not surprisingly, the consensus among his thirsty followers was that he should release them.
Performers who abandon their porn personas and return to life under their real names often pass away unnoticed by former employers and scene partners. Case in point: a reader recently alerted me to the passing of Shane Rockland in February 2025, at age 52. Along with his real-life brothers Vince and Hal, Shane was a high profile performer who worked with Falcon, Hot House, and Studio 2000. Surely some adult film news outlet would have noted his passing, right?
As in previous years, the 2026 list is short on people of color. Why? Is it that few have passed on or that they haven’t been reported? For this reason – and due to continued interest from fans – there are ongoing updates to our posts of porn star passings in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
We remember those that were lost in 2026 to prove Koldo Goran wrong – they have not been forgotten.
1) Buddy Burke, aka Alexander Buchanan was a Pennsylvania native born on February 3, 1997. In November 2024, he started an OnlyFans account to supplement his income as a shipping company manager. He later made a handful of appearances on the RawFuckClub website.
In November, 2025 Burke happily posted about his one year anniversary in the business. He was 28 years old when he passed away two months later on January 14, 2026. An online tribute says that he “was known for his bright smile and outgoing personality. He lived his life to the fullest. He was a bright shining light in our lives and our lives will be forever changed.”
2) Seeingeyepic, aka Ravi Gurne-Mannina was also half of the duo RRbears alongside husband Robear Woods. He was born in Boulder, CO on April 17, 1988. RRbears began sharing content online during the pandemic and went on to appear in approximately 20 scenes with RawFuckClub from 2022-2025.
His partner posted on social media; “Ravi passed away in his sleep on March 20th, he had a terrible flu and bad sleep apnea…. I am beyond grateful and thankful for all the love he gave me over the last 11 years.”
3) Seth Peterson, aka Adam Aguirre was born in Torrance, California on August 27, 1997. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in neuroscience, but decided that it wasn’t his calling. Instead, he made his debut with Helix studios in 2020, subsequently winning the GayVN Award for Hottest Newcomer. Peterson continued to work exclusively with Helix for the next four years. In 2024, he began working with other studios, including Falcon, NakedSword, Next Door, and Men.
Peterson’s death on March 19th was reported a few days later by his boyfriend, performer Cyrus Stark. Although no cause of death was publicly disclosed, Peterson’s mother reported finding drug paraphernalia at the scene. Peterson was 28 years old at the time.
4) Cameron Jacobs was born on December 26, 1993, according to the IAFD site. The website also reports that he was murdered on April 28, 2026, with no other links or information posted.
There were two “Cameron Jacobs” making films in the early 2010’s. This Cameron bore a “New York” chest tattoo and appeared with AJ Monroe in scenes at Pride Studios. He also worked with College Dudes and Jake Cruise. All of his scenes were released in 2015. He was 32 years old at the time of his death.
5) Greco Rai, aka Bradley August was born on August 18, 1996. Between 2015-2017, he appeared in nearly 2 dozen scenes, mainly with Helix and Boycrush. In recent years, he was living in Hawaii where he worked for a nautical tour company. He passed away on June 6, 2026 – two months shy of his 30th birthday.
A loved one memorialized him online, remembering “his vibrant spirit, sense of humor, and ability to light up any room. Many described him as one of the funniest people they had ever met… His words of encouragement and kindness left a lasting impact on those fortunate enough to know him.”
6) Dale Savage was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 25, 1964. He dedicated much of his life to serving others as a firefighter and EMT. After retiring, he decided to serve in an entirely different way as he ventured into the adult film industry as a 50-year-old silver daddy.
He was 62 years old when he died following a stroke on June 19, 2026. Photographer Anthony Duran announced his death on social media a few days later, writing “”I am still in shock and having a hard time finding the words to write this. As a handsome, pansexual muscle daddy, Dale started his career at 50 years old. He quickly rose to become a true superstar in the industry. He absolutely loved his work and collaborated with some of the top studios and actors. After a busy and successful career, he retired about three years ago to enjoy a quiet life in Vail, Colorado.”
7) Andréa High, aka Andrea Gnt was born on March 19, 1998 in Baden-Baden, Germany and later relocated to Paris, France. Andréa would later talk about being uncomfortable living in a masculine body, which manifested in self-destructive behaviors and suicidal thoughts. He began bodybuilding to combat these tendencies while attending college. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in literature, Andréa gave up bodybuilding and started taking hormones. Andréa also had several facial plastic surgeries to soften their look.
Andréa delved into films in 2020, working with Boyfun, Crunchboy, and Staxus, among other sites. In the fall of 2021, Andréa revealed on social media that she was transitioning and would continue working in trans adult films. The following year, she announced the end of her film and escort career.
A PinkTV.fr article detailed the ups and downs of Andréa’s life and ultimate end:
“Desiring to turn life around once again while drawing strength from the Catholic faith, Andréa detransitioned by masculinizing himself and underwent a prayer-based detox program to permanently overcome his addictions. This didn’t work: he relapsed. Excluded from treatment, Andréa died a few days later, on June 30 2026, of an overdose.”
Fellow performer Jordan Fox posted on social media: “RIP Andrea High, one of the hottest twinks I’ve ever met. His life was not easy… but we’ll remember as a very sweet and cute boy… I’ll miss him”
8) Christian Styles, aka Zach Jaghab was born in Canton, Michigan on January 17, 1997. In 2021, he quickly became a popular content creator with over a million followers on X. He worked with the top names in the business on OnlyFans and appeared in several scenes for the RawFuckClub website. In 2023, he was the GayVN fan-voted winner of the Favorite All-Male Creator Collab award.
Styles was 29 years old when he died from a fatal drug / alcohol combination at his Michigan home on August 20, 2026.
9) Noah Segsy, aka Riccardo Staudt was a content creator from Germany. Besides OnlyFans, he was also popular on Instagram and X.
He was only 22 years old when he drowned in a shallow swimming pool in Cyprus on August 24, 2026. Since his passing, his social media accounts have been taken down or set to private. A GoFundMe account set up to assist his family with funeral costs raised over $20k.
10) Louie Damazo, longtime producer, director and sometime performer at Grooby, passed away August 29, 2026 at his home in São Paolo, Brazil at the age of 58. According to a statement from Grooby founder Steven Grooby, Damazo died of “natural causes.” “He was my friend, my brother, my compadre and my comic relief for over 25 years,” Grooby said.
Damazo ran Grooby’s Brazilian operation and produced its Brazilian Transsexuals series since 1999. He has been called “The Godfather of Brazilian Trans Erotica.” BrazilianTranssexuals.com producer and friend Andre wrote; “He built something very significant in Brazil over many years. It was not only the websites or the films. It was the people he brought together, the relationships he built, the opportunities he created and the doors he opened for so many trans women who found a place in the industry through the work he developed.”
11) Hunter Hardin, aka Lucas Drake also performed as burlesque dancer LuLu LoveBottom. Born July 8, 1995 into a military family, Hardin lived in many locations before eventually settling in Arizona, where he attended high school.
Sports and exercise offered a stability that his home life lacked. In 2025, he spoke with Out Sports about how it also helped him battle depression. He became a state champion high school athlete, participating in football and later competitive rowing.
Hardin later balanced this athleticism with femininity and a love of dance to become a dynamic burlesque performer. He was also active on OnlyFans and appeared in several scenes earlier this year for RawFuckClub.
On September 7, 2026 Hardin posted a farewell Instagram message to friends and fans. His concerned roommates broke down the door, but he could not be resuscitated. He was 30 years old.
12) Robin Castel was born June 11, 1996 in Lorraine, France. When he was 19, he decided to try his hand at adult films. He later told an interviewer, “It was a personal challenge: I wanted to know if I could push my limits and perform in front of the camera.” Castel appeared in 8 scenes for French Twinks over the next two years before stepping away from the business. He was 30 years old when he passed away on September 8, 2026.
An article on the PinkTV.fr website reports that Castel “had been suffering for years from a profound sense of unease, manifested by professional and romantic instability. Everything suggests that he committed suicide.”
13) WreX Wylde, aka Jeff Tieman was born on August 14, 1986. His film work focused on fisting videos with Club Inferno Dungeon, Hot House, and Raging Stallion from 2019-2022. In the past year, he shared on social media that he had ongoing complications following surgeries necessitated by his extracurricular activities. According to a Go Fund Me set up to cover funeral costs, he “had been battling pain and suffering for the past two years.”
Wylde had recently turned 40 years old when he died by suicide on September 12, 2026.
14) Richard Harrison was not a gay porn star per se, but he was as close as the 1950’s would allow – much like his contemporary Ed Fury, who was included in our 2023 list. Born May 26, 1936, in Salt Lake City, Harrison left Utah for Los Angeles when he was 17 years old. Taking a job at a gym led him to develop an impressive physique.
Like Ed Fury, Harrison started his career as a “posing strap” model for Bob Mizer’s AMG studios as well as other local photographers. He graced the covers of numerous physique magazines before starring in a string of “sword and sandal” films in Europe. He enjoyed a 40-year film career in B-movies – from spaghetti westerns to ninja films. He retired from acting in the 1990s, and passed away at age 90 on September 18, 2026.
15) Kevin Williams, aka Ted Currall was a gay porn legend. As The Randy Report noted, “If you were gay in the 80’s and 90’s, it was nearly impossible not to know his work.” Born on November 5, 1965, in Santa Clara, he was a lifelong Californian with trademark blond surfer-boy looks. Of his entry into adult films, he later said; ““I did it to get laid. I did it to meet hot guys, and all of a sudden, ‘And you’re gonna give me x-amount of dollars?’ I didn’t go into it for the money… It just wasn’t a factor as much as meeting people. I was a sexually-minded person, and it was a real, real neat idea.”
Williams was a huge star at Falcon and Catalina studios from 1985-1990. After stepping away from the industry for nearly a decade, he returned in the late 1990’s, once again working with Falcon and Catalina. He was inducted into the GayVN Hall of Fame in 2001.
Williams died at his home in San Diego on September 22, 2026 at age 60. The circumstances as initially reported echoed the recent death of Hayden Panettiere.
Richard Stabbert wrote on Instagram: “In remembering Kevin Williams, we also acknowledge a part of gay cultural history too often excluded from conventional accounts. Performers such as Williams occupied a place in the private lives and memories of viewers, offering images of male desire during an era marked by stigma and the devastation of AIDS. His films preserve his public presence, but remembrance should also make room for Ted Currall—the person whose life extended beyond the screen.”
16) Michael Kearns had nine lives. Born January 8, 1950, in St. Louis, Missouri, he studied acting and began working in Hollywood in the early 1970’s. He came out at a time when few actors would, appearing on the cover of The Advocate in 1974. Although he appeared in many nude photo layouts (most memorably for photographer Kenn Duncan), Kearns only appeared in one adult film: the classic L.A. Tool & Die (1979).
Kearns would later say; “I’m happy I made the movie, not that I would go back, and that people know me from that… but there’s so much more to me, and I’m disappointed when I meet someone who wants to keep the communication on that level.”
In the 1980’s he became one of the first actors to publicly acknowledge he was HIV positive while still garnering work in film and television. The activist, author and teacher was 76 years old when he passed away on October 5th.
Click here for our recent profile with photos and interviews in the gay press illustrating the importance of Michael Kearns’ voice in the gay community at the time. He was an unapologetic trailblazer who sometimes made mistakes but wasn’t afraid to talk about them.
17) Fitz Wright, aka Liam Fitzgerald was not a gay porn star but is worth memorializing here, as he certainly catered to the requests of his gay audience on his OnlyFans account. The influencer was best known for the workout and motivational videos shared to his million+ Instagram and TikTok followers. In 2024-25, he was also featured in 8 scenes for the HotGuysFuck website. His girlfriend posted that he was 29 years old when he died following a motorcycle accident in Florida on October 30th.
A social media post from his family stated; “Liam was a shining light. He had a way of lighting up every room he walked into, a personality impossible to forget, and a heart that loved deeply. From family and friends to teammates, strangers, and people around the world, he inspired so many.”
See Also:
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2025
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2024
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2023
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2022
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2021
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2020
Remembering Michael Kearns (1950-2026)
Alexis Arquette’s Lost Porn Flick
Remembering prolific pornographer Robert Prion
RIP Porn Star Turned Activist Terry DeCarlo
Costello Presley and 80’s Gay Porn Guilty Pleasures
George Platt Lynes: In Touch Magazine (1982)
Al Parker: In His Own Words
