Apollo Moon was the stage name of trans-masculine adult performer Forest Harader. Tragically, as confirmed by his family to Them, he passed away on Monday in Los Angeles at just 26 years old.
Moon had risen to prominence as a beloved and admired adult content creator within the trans community and was particularly notable as a person of color in a predominantly white space. He had also participated in and won the viral T-boy wrestling event in Los Angeles, California, earlier this year.
He had amassed massive followings on social media, including around 234,000 on X and around 56,000 on Instagram. Rather poignantly, just last week, he had posted several times on X, saying, “Being trans brought me so much joy and there was nothing in this world that made me happier than sharing that experience with my community,” “I hope all trans people are extra gentle with themselves tonight,” and “I wish I could hug every trans person in the world right now and tell them I love them.” But do we know what caused Moon to pass away so desperately young?
How did Apollo Moon die?
According to their post on MealTrain — a website used to coordinate community meal delivery for those temporarily in need of care — Apollo Moon’s family learned that he was hospitalized in the ICU and on life support on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The message on the post read, “On November 27th the Harader family received the unexpected and devastating news that their son/brother Forest was hospitalized in the ICU on life support. His parents will be taking an extended leave from work and they, along with his sister Risa, can use any and all the support you can give during this difficult time.” However, since he passed, no cause of death has been confirmed as of the time of writing.
MealTrain can also be used to raise funds for specific causes, and as of Dec. 4, the Haraders’ campaign had exceeded its initial goal of $5,000 and its second goal of $15,000 following Moon’s passing, with a total of $18,346 raised as things stand. The money will help with the family’s living expenses while Moon’s parents take an extended leave of absence from work.
Tributes flocked in for Moon on social media following the news of his passing, many from creators and people who work in the trans adult content community, which emphasized how loved he was as a person and performer. Austin King was among the first to confirm the terrible news, writing on X, “So sad to report that trans performer Apollo Moon has died. Story coming shortly to PornCrush.”
Following his passing, Moon’s friends told Them how much he loved nature, camping, and hiking. But among his greatest passions was the trans community he was such a significant part of and the experience of being trans — something he so often made abundantly clear on his social media accounts.
May Forest Harader, aka Apollo Moon, rest in eternal peace. We’re sure more details about his passing will emerge in due course. In the meantime, we send our condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who knew and cared for him.