Sara Holmes, also known as HojuSara on Youtube, passed away on September 1 after a six-month battle with leukemia, surrounded by friends and family back home in Brisbane, Australia.
Known for making videos about navigating daily life in South Korea, the Australian vlogger gathered a large following throughout her years on the social media platform, documenting her life and even conducting interviews with famous Korean actors and KPOP idols.
In June, Holmes posted a video on her channel sharing the news of her diagnosis with the public, admitting she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May, shortly after arriving in Brisbane with her fiancé, Hyun. At first, the Youtuber went to the hospital with strong back pain and was sent home with a simple diagnosis of muscle pain. But she fainted on her way out of the hospital, which led to getting a few more tests done and finally getting diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
Acute myeloid leukemia is a fatal form of cancer of the blood and bone marrow, and the type of leukemia most commonly diagnosed in adults. Acute leukemia progresses quickly and aggressively, especially if not treated with immediate urgency. After her diagnosis, Holmes quickly began treatment under chemotherapy. Unfortunately, after spending months at the hospital, the influencer lost her battle with the deadly disease at just 31 years old
Her fiancé and partner of 4 years, Hyun, broke the news on Holmes’ Youtube channel, sharing a 47-minute-long video talking about his partner’s battle and struggles with cancer and his adjustment to losing her. In the heartbreaking video, Hyun reminisces on their time together, and how Holmes’ cheery and kind personality made him a better person, all while trying to keep a smile on his face.
“She really was a kind person,” he said, “In my whole life, it was the first time I had ever met such a kind person.”
An audio recording of Holmes was also shared on the video, where she said her goodbyes to her viewers before her time was due, knowing that it wouldn’t be long until she passed — although the couple kept their hopes alive for a miracle. Through tears and the noise from the oxygen mask, Sara said her goodbyes with the following words:
“I love you all. If you’re listening to this, I am watching you all from the sky. You are all very precious to me, my friends. When things look beautiful, I was the one who did that for you. You have to remember this, okay? I’ll draw you beautiful things in the sky. So everyone, let’s all have some delicious brunch together. Ride our bikes. Let’s not be sad. Let’s wear bright colored clothes. Drink loads of delicious drinks- drink bubble tea as well. Everyone, be kind to one another. And everyone, take care of Donghyun. I wanted to make it to the end. I will be taking care of all of you. Every time you see something beautiful, that will be me. This is still not the end, I am still fighting. I am fighting. I wanted to spend more precious time with all of you. I wanted to send you all a message, but this came faster than I expected. If I can no longer see you guys, please show them this voice recording. And we’ll eat a picnic together. Let’s eat loads of yummy things together.
Please don’t cry. But if you do want to cry, it’s okay. But please smile a lot. Please take good care of each other. It’s so difficult to know what to say. I love you all very much, my precious friends. I am so proud of you all because you have been my friends. I have been so lucky. I have made so many good friends- I guess I have used up all of my luck. I have no regrets. I wish I could spend more time with you, but I will be watching over you. So, from time to time, while you’re eating something delicious, raise a glass to the sky, and please think of me. I will be toasting you from the sky. With bubble tea. I love you all very much. Because ‘goodbye’ is too sad, I will ‘bbyong’. Bbyong!”
Sara and Hyun met in Korea in 2018, moving in together after 2 years. The couple also believed they had “used up all their luck” by being incredibly happy together for the past 4 years, getting engaged earlier this year in a private ceremony in Korea. “Bbyong” is also a Korean slang word used to say goodbye in a cute manner, and it has been used by Hyun to say goodbye to Sara.
Tributes have flooded the comment section as news broke out of Sara’s passing, many fans and fellow YouTubers coming forward with their farewells, reminiscing on their last moments shared with the sweet 31-year-old, including famous Youtuber, Safiya Nygaard, and Amanda Rach Lee.
our time in Korea with the both of you was one of the best experiences of my life. sara was amazingly kind & funny and i can’t yet wrap my head around this news. hyun we love you and are sending so much love to you and the rest of her family ️
Safiya Nygaard
dear sara, thank you for being such a bright light and kind soul. i’m so grateful to have crossed paths with you, and i know everyone who has met you (both in person and online) feels the same way.
when we met in korea, the first thing i noticed was how warm and welcoming you were. you made me feel so comfortable in a new place, and made sure i had the best time there. since then, you have been my biggest cheerleader from across the world. every planner i launched, you used it and even made sure to tell others about it. i felt your support from across the world i wish i could have treated you to a meal one more time to show you how much i appreciated you.
i know you’ll be watching over all of us (and making sure we all eat delicious food). your kindness and passion will live on in our hearts
i’ll miss you. rest in peace sara
and hyun – sending you so much love and strength. i’m glad sara had someone like you by her side the entire time.
AmandaRachLee
Some have taken to other social media platforms to share their grief and last words in memory of Sara. Hong-Kong based Youtuber Ricky Kazaf, a long-time friend of Sara’s, shared a touching message in which he talked about how she was “[his] Aussie angel with Korean restaurants guide.”
Liah Yoo, a content creator based in New York, also shared her heartbreaking words for Sara, stressing how much Sara’s character was life-changing, thanking her “for being the absolutely wonderful human being that [she] never knew [she] needed in [her] life.”
As for the future of her social media platforms, her husband Hyun has been actively posting on Instagram and Youtube, in homage to Sara while also sharing their friends’ farewell posts. Sara Holmes is survived by her parents, brother, and her fiancé, Hyun.