Void Only (Jerry Fort)

Jerry Fort, who built an online following under the name Void Only, died on 29 October 2026 at the age of 25. <cite index="6-2">He had fought an eight year battle with interstitial lung disease and a double lung transplant before he passed away on October 29, just three weeks before launch.</cite>

Void Only was not a traditional celebrity or entertainer. He became known to a wide online audience in August 2026, when <cite index="1-1">he went viral in August with a video expressing his dream to play the upcoming game</cite>, the long anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 from Rockstar Games. The video resonated far beyond the gaming community because it placed an ordinary wish, to play a favourite game, against the backdrop of a life threatening illness.

The response to his story was substantial. <cite index="1-1">His family raised over fifty thousand dollars through GoFundMe for his lung transplant</cite>, and that figure later grew; one report noted that <cite index="4-2">his wish to play GTA 6 inspired thousands of supporters and more than ninety six thousand dollars in donations</cite>. The money went toward the medical costs of the transplant he needed to survive.

That hope was ultimately cut short. <cite index="2-1">Jerry Fort died on 29 October after an infection caused his lungs to fill with blood, ending his fight to survive long enough to play the game launching on 19 November</cite>. His death came just three weeks before the release date, a timing noted across the many news reports and tributes that followed.

News of his death spread quickly among gamers and across social platforms, where his original hospital room video had first drawn attention. <cite index="5-2">Fellow gamers paid tribute to his memory</cite> following the news, with many remembering him for the way his simple wish had united strangers around a shared hope. Full details of a funeral or memorial service have not yet been made public.