YouTuber Simen Andersen dies at 24 after battle with rare muscle disease

Norwegian YouTuber Simen Andersen, known for his anti-bullying advocacy alongside his late brother Daniel, has died at the age of 24, his father Bjørn Gunnar Andersen confirmed to Dagbladet. The cause was complications from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the same progressive disease that claimed his brother’s life in 2022.

“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet,” Andersen told Dagbladet from his home in Langesund, where Simen lived independently with assistants in a nearby apartment. “I’m dreading the emptiness when everyday life sets in. But I hope we can find a way to stand again once we gain some distance.”

Simen and Daniel Andersen rose to national prominence through their YouTube channel, launched in 2014, which focused on combating bullying and promoting online kindness. Their story was later featured in the 2019 NRK documentary Daniel and Simen, which highlighted their lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy—a rare, degenerative condition affecting roughly one in 3,500 boys in Norway.

Diagnosed before age four

Simen was diagnosed with the disease before turning four, with doctors warning his parents that his younger brother Daniel likely had it too. Daniel’s condition progressed more severely, requiring constant care from Simen, who their father described as “incredibly generous” and “the world’s best big brother.”

“I’ll always remember Simen as someone who was warm, sociable, and simply good-hearted,” Andersen said.

Lived independently before decline

After Daniel’s death in 2022 at age 18, Simen moved into his own apartment with support staff, embracing adulthood while managing his illness. “He thrived—he got to be a little rebellious, a little grown-up,” his father recalled. “He experienced consequences, had friends, and lived life. I’m so glad he had that time.”

Simen’s health deteriorated rapidly after contracting severe pneumonia in November, leaving him with just 25 percent lung capacity. “Toward the end, we talked even more than usual,” Andersen said. “We both knew what was coming.”

His fear of hospitals—rooted in memories of his brother’s final days—made his last weeks especially difficult. “He didn’t want to go back,” Andersen said. “He knew too well he’d never grow old.”

Simen Andersen was laid to rest in Langesund Church on April 26, 2026.