Pokémon Artist Shares Emotional Tribute After Late Influencer’s Final Card Pull

The community surrounding the Pokémon Trading Card Game is mourning the loss of Avery the Poké Kid, a beloved 12-year-old creator who passed away from pancreatic cancer on September 19, 2026. Following his death, Avery’s parents shared a video of the young influencer’s final pack opening, a moment that has drawn a deeply emotional response from the artist behind the featured card.

In his final video, Avery opened packs from the brand’s 30th Anniversary set. In a moment of pure joy, his very last pull revealed a Jirachi Special Illustration Rare (SIR). The clip quickly went viral, resonating with the community not just because of the rarity of the pull, but due to the bittersweet circumstances surrounding it.

A Connection Through Art

Akira Egawa, the artist responsible for the Jirachi SIR card, took to social media to express how the video affected her. Reflecting on the impact of her work, Egawa shared that she had been in tears since watching the footage.

“I’m so deeply moved. I’m so glad I kept drawing,” Egawa wrote on X (formerly Twitter). She noted that her primary goal as an artist is to bring happiness to others, adding, “I’m so glad I put that wish into this piece.”

A Community Remembered

Fans have been quick to highlight the poetic significance of the Jirachi pull. In the series’ lore, Jirachi is a legendary Pokémon that awakens only for seven days every thousand years—and only when it hears a voice of purity. Many in the community have pointed to this as a fitting, albeit heartbreaking, final moment for Avery, who spent years sharing his passion for the TCG with over 313,000 followers.

Avery battled stage four pancreatoblastoma for seven years, becoming a fixture in the Pokémon community. As fans continue to share their sympathies, a GoFundMe has been established to assist the family with medical costs, nearly reaching its $130,000 goal.