Forever in their hearts. After TikTok personality Cooper Noriega was found dead at the age of 19, his family has broken their silence on the loss.
“Hi everyone. On behalf of our family we want to thank you all for the kind words of our little coop,” a Saturday, June 11, statement shared to the late influencer’s Instagram account from sister Parker Noriega read. “His passing is an absolute tragedy to our family and loved ones. We pray that we all as a community can continue on his legacy. He loved each and everyone [sic] of you. Please feel free to reach out to us as we love feeling all the support. Bless you all… with love, his sister.”
In addition to his sister’s heartfelt tribute, the late teenager was honored by other loved ones.
“I also want to share with you that today has been an incredibly difficult time for my family and me. We lost our beautiful 19 year old Cooper last evening,” Cooper’s father, Harold Noriega, wrote via Facebook. “He was loved by so many and truly the love of Treva’s, Parker’s and my life.”
He added: “There are no words to express the grief and loss. It’s not supposed to be this way. Your child is not supposed to pass before his parents. Cooper has touched so many people. … My boy was a believer and I know he is in the presence of God. Thank you everyone. I love you all.”
Us Weekly confirmed on Friday, June 10, that the teenager was found dead in a parking lot the previous day. Cooper’s official cause of death has yet to be released as the case is currently awaiting further investigation.
“My heart is forever broken but your [sic] my special angel and we have each other’s hearts,” Cooper’s mother, Treva Noriega, shared via Instagram after news broke. “I know my mom was holding her arms out bringing you to Heaven. You are finally experiencing the most pure joy and happiness. I’ll see you one day my baby boy… your momma♥️.”
Cooper’s ex-girlfriend, whom he split from in April after more than one year together, also penned a heartfelt tribute to the late model.
“The light of my life, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” Sabrina Quesada captioned an Instagram carousel of the pair. “I’m so sorry my love. May we meet again.”
Ahead of Cooper’s tragic death, he had been candid about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse.
“I’ve been struggling with addiction since I was 9 years old, you may think that’s crazy but that’s the life I’ve been dealt,” Cooper wrote via Instagram earlier this month, announcing the launch of a Discord server to discuss mental health. “I would like to use the influence I’ve been given to create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness.
He added at the time: “One of the many things I’ve learned while struggling with addiction was that surrounding yourself with negative people will only bring you down. For that reason, Discord is meant to bring us all together and create a safe space where people can vent and help others through their tough times.”
If you or anyone you know is facing substance abuse issues, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free and confidential information 24/7.
