Enkyboys father and TikTok star Randy Gonzalez dies at 35 after colon cancer diagnosis

ALVIN, Texas — Randy Gonzalez, the Texas father behind the popular “Enkyboys” social media account, died Wednesday at the age of 35, his mother Beatrice Gonzalez and brother David Gonzalez confirmed to ABC News.

Gonzalez’s death came less than a year after he announced he had been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

Gonzalez and his son Brice have become famous on TikTok for their funny comedies and father-son dances.

“At first we were a bit shy, but we came out of that shell because people love Brice so much, then they love the father-son duo, so we were like, ‘Let’s go! Let’s do it!” Gonzalez told “Good Morning America” ​​in 2020 about the rise of the “Enkyboys.”

Last April, Gonzalez revealed in a video post that he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in November 2021.

FROM 2022: TikTok star diagnosed with colon cancer urges young people to know the warning signs

“I kept it to myself and felt like it was selfish because I didn’t want to tell everyone my stuff because it was personal. But I feel like I can use my situation to to educate young men like me because I’m only 34, and they say it’s very rare for a young man like me to get colon cancer,” Gonzalez said in the video at the time, adding that he was told by a doctor that he had a life expectancy of between two and five years.

“I didn’t know how to take it. You know, it was devastating,” Gonzalez continued.

In the video, Gonzalez also opened up about one of his early symptoms that led him to see a doctor in the first place.

“I want to help other people and educate young men to go get screened for colon cancer, go for a colonoscopy. How I figured out, I had a problem with my upper abdomen and I always hurt,” he said. said. “And luckily my wife told me to go for a colonoscopy because I was just going to have an EGD [esophagogastoduodenoscopy] in my throat because they thought it was an ulcer or something. But in short, I wanted to start educating young men about colon cancer, so they would go get screened at an early age, at 30.”

SEE ALSO: Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Get Polyps Removed, Highlight Colon Cancer Screenings

Since then, social media accounts “Enkyboys” have posted messages aimed at raising awareness for colon cancer, with Gonzalez sharing the symptoms he has been experiencing, such as abdominal pain and constipation, and taking fans with him as he he was undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colon or colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that arises from polyps in the colon or rectum. In the United States, it has become the second leading cause of cancer-related death.

The disease can affect men and women of any racial and ethnic background. People at increased risk of developing colon cancer include people with a family history of colon polyps or colon cancer and those with bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Lifestyle can also play a role and increase a person’s risk, such as a high-fat, low-fiber diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and lack of physical activity.

Last year, a major study showed that more young people, including more people of black and non-Hispanic origin and those aged 20 to 29, were diagnosed with advanced colon cancer these years, prompting doctors to call for more early detection and screening of colon cancer in people under 50.

Who should get screened for colon cancer?

The US Task Force on Preventive Services and the CDC currently recommend that people between the ages of 45 and 75 get regular colon cancer screenings, while those over 75 should talk to their doctor before getting screened. If at increased risk due to a family history of colon polyps or colon cancer or for people with bowel disease, screening may begin before the age of 45, but this should be discussed with a doctor at prior. A screening may consist of a stool test, a flexible sigmoidoscopy where a doctor places a tube in the rectum to check for polyps, a colonoscopy or CT colonography, or a virtual colonoscopy.

What are the symptoms of colon cancer?

A person with colon cancer may not always have symptoms initially, according to the CDC, and they can vary. Symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain, pain or cramps
• Changes in bowel habits, including the feeling that the bowels are not emptying entirely
• Blood in stool
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Unexplained weight loss

Gonzalez is survived by his wife Kimberly and their three children, son Brice and daughters Lauren and Nylah. Kimberley Gonzalez and her daughters also have their own TikTok and social media accounts called “Enkygirls.”