TikTok star and Peruvian engineer Jainer Moises Pinedo Vargas (known as the “Dancing Engineer”) has died.
The 34-year-old content creator died on Sunday, August 18, after a fight with dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness common in tropical and subtropical regions. Per the Mayo Clinic, it causes flu-like symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, and swollen glands. Sadly, Jainer’s condition escalated quickly and very severely.
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According to local outlet Peru21, the social media star first contracted the disease on July 21 while in Condorcanqui Province, Peru. Healthcare network Red Prestacional Lambayeque del Seguro Social de Salud – EsSalud confirmed the death in a press release, telling the outlet:
“The management of the Red Prestacional Lambayeque de EsSalud extends their sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones.”
Per Peru21, Jainer’s condition got worse when he developed pneumonia, leading to his hospitalization in Bagua. Fluid was soon discovered in his lungs, and he was sent to a large facility in Chiclayo. On August 14, he was placed on mechanical ventilation before suffering respiratory arrest caused by fluid re-accumulating in his lungs.
Per the Department of Health Deputy Minister, Ricardo Peña, while in the ICU, testing determined the dancer had a form of cancer known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Sadly, that likely made everything worse. Peña said:
“It is most likely that this underlying disease is linked, precisely, to this outcome.”
Wow. Just awful. Janier’s mother Betty Vargas García paid tribute to her son, writing on Facebook:
“Rest in peace, beloved son. We will miss you.”
Just two weeks before his death, in what is now his final Instagram post, Janier posted a video of himself dancing in the hospital (in which his diaper falls off). He said he only had “20% energy” at the time, but was remaining positive, writing:
“I’ve wanted to do this trend for a long time. Now with 20% energy I can do it. Obviously my ‘calvin kleins’ fell off. … Sick people who don’t dance don’t die!! We are only with 20% of energy”
He first grew famous in 2021 while making up choreography for a dance to the song No Se by Explosion de Iquitos. And now, his death is so untimely — and so sad. May he rest in peace.
[Image via Jainer Moises Pinedo Vargas/Instagram]