‘It’s Been a Great Ride’

According to his obituary, the Fredericton native passed away on March 30 “with his mom, dad and brother holding his hands.” Gilks was known for his uplifting videos on TikTok where he shared his firsts and lasts and eventually amassed over 300,000 followers.

In November 2020, the teen was first diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer most common in children that forms in soft tissue. Per CBC, his cancer had shown signs of remission in February 2022, until the disease returned and doctors considered Gilk’s condition terminal.

That June, Harrison took to TikTok where he announced he would be starting a series that documented his journey crossing off things on his bucket list.

“This isn’t the normal type of stuff I post, but found out today, or it was kind of confirmed to me, that I have terminal cancer,” he said. “The reason I’m making this and I’m putting it out there is I’d like to make a little series … I’m gonna go out and do a bunch of stuff that I’ve always wanted to do.”

Shortly after his death, his brother David broke the news on Harrison’s TikTok account and thanked his followers for their unending support.

“I’m making this video because Harrison sadly passed away a few hours ago. He was not in pain when he passed away and he was with his family,” he shared. “I just wanted to come on here and say thank you to everybody around the world for their support and encouragement. It really did mean a lot to him.”

Harrison’s last update to the platform was on March 21, where he informed his fans he had experienced a few complications during his latest trip to Mexico.

“So Mexico, we finished off by just enjoying the sun, doing shopping and stuff like that,” he said in a video recorded from his hospital bed. “I had some complications during the trip which weren’t too bad. I was able to manage and still have a great time, sit and lay around in the sun and stay comfortable.”

The TikToker explained that his body began to “give out” the day he returned from his travels. He was eventually transported via ambulance to the hospital where he received treatment.

“I don’t know how to say it other than the cancer [has] spread,” Harrison continued, revealing that the cancer had spread into his lungs and liver. “The doctors said I don’t have a lot of time left and the chances of me going home … very slim. I’ll be in the hospital for probably the remainder of whatever time I have left, which is obviously very upsetting.”

“It’s been a great ride with you guys on the bucket list,” he concluded. “Bucket list series done, I guess.”

Gilk’s final adventures included trips to Toronto, Montreal, New York, Tampa and Los Angeles to visit SoFi Stadium — home of the Los Angeles Rams.