With 4 billion videos being viewed every single day, you can bet that YouTube is being watched by viewers all across the world and from all walks of life. And the videos themselves are just as diverse. There are videos about cooking, hunting, basket weaving, car racing, funny videos, sad videos, how-tos and pretty much everything else you can think of. If you have a message that you want to unleash upon the world, YouTube is the perfect platform with which to do it. Your viewers may be waiting. Whether they’re at home on their computers, in their offices or they’re out and about with the latest mobile devices, you have a chance to make an impact on the entire world. One Orlando teen recently used YouTube to impact the world. Talia Joy Castellano used the video sharing site to start a makeup tutorial channel and, in the process, she managed to inspire and melt the hearts of YouTube users everywhere.
Talia Joy Castellano – Makeup Star And Inspiration
This is a story of how YouTube impacts the world. In 2007, Talia Joy Castellano learned that she had a rare childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. To add insult to injury, Talia was diagnosed with leukemia last year. While most people would be devastated to learn that they had two types of terminal cancer, Talia didn’t let the news get her down. She decided to use her pain, frustration and fear and channel it into a YouTube makeup tutorial channel that she dubbed taliajoy18.
A High Number Of Subscribers Equals Far More Impact
To show how YouTube impacts the world, you only have to look at Talia’s subscriber page today. With over 700,000 subscribers, it’s clear that Talia hit a groove with her upbeat makeup how-to videos. Each episode she appeared in good spirits and with a bright smile. If the news of the cancer affected her, she never let her viewers know it.
YouTube Opens Up Opportunities
The Talia Joy Castellano YouTube page led to Talia being discovered by CoverGirl, which led to be her being named an honorary spokesperson. She was also reportedly working on a new teenage fashion line that she named That Bald Chick.
In one particular YouTube video released last year, Talia explained that she declined a bone-marrow transplant that could have potentially saved her life. In that video she explained that she wanted to “just live the time I have remaining.”
“Every Journey Has An End”
The strong and vigilant Talia Joy Castellano then went on to say that, “Having Cancer has been an amazing yet horrible journey.” She added, “Yet every journey has an end.”
Unfortunately, despite an outpouring of support and the assistance of the top doctors at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Talia Joy Castellano passed away at the tender age of thirteen.
Well-Wishers Show Their Support
Just to show how YouTube impacts the world, the staff at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children had to ask supporters to stop calling. This according to the Talia Joy Castellano Facebook page, which asked supporters to sign a petition that sought to increase funding for childhood cancer research.
Talia posted her final YouTube video on May 22, which also marks the fourth week that she’d remained in the hospital. In that video, the courageous young lady discussed the anxiety that she’d been feeling, the effects of the medication she’d been taking and she seemed truly excited to get back to what she called ‘in the groove’, and of course she provided the latest and greatest makeup tutorials and updates.
More Support For A Courageous Young Lady
The outpouring of support hasn’t stopped since Talia’s tragic passing. Even celebrities have chimed in to offer their kind words; which further proves how YouTube impacts the world.
On July 16, the day Talia died, Ellen tweeted, “This year I met a very special girl, and today we lost her. Sending my heart to Talia’s family. I’m so sad.”
Actress and model Sofia Vergara also tweeted her condolences by saying, “My heart and thoughts are with Talia, the most beautiful & inspiring @Covergirl ever and with her loving family and friends #RIPTalia.”
Joey Fatone of the Backstreet Boys also tweeted, “RIP Talia, I had the pleasure to know her and see her perform [sic] she lived music, prayers are with u and your family.” The tweet came with a photo attached of Joey posing with an ever-smiling and jubilant Talia.
Kendall Jenner of the Kardashian clan lent her voice to the Twittersphere by tweeting, “Just heard about Talia. RIP beautiful. My thoughts and prayers go out to her loved ones. Stay strong, your little angel is watching over you.”
Talia Joy Castellano Proves How YouTube Impacts The World
If you haven’t heard of Talia Joy Castellano, you might want to visit YouTube and find one of her uplifting videos. Even if you don’t use makeup or you already know how to apply makeup, you’ll see how one person’s indomitable spirit and will to live can inspire an entire world.
Talia’s story is just one version of how YouTube impacts the world. Right now there are others spreading their messages and those messages are as varied as the people watching them. The lesson here is a simple one. Talia Joy Castellano managed to singlehandedly inspire millions of people. Many of her videos were viewed over a million times. That’s quite a feat for a girl of only thirteen. It also shows that you have a chance to impact the world. Take your passion, your voice and your message and start creating YouTube videos. You never know, just like Talia Joy Castellano, you may end up touching the hearts and souls of millions of people. As long as you remain strong and inspired, just like Talia, you will succeed just as she did. Even though she didn’t survive the illnesses that plagued her, Talia’s YouTube legacy and her spirit continue to live on.