Paul "Bear" Vasquez became an internet legend with his viral "Double Rainbow" video, where on January 8th, 2010, he captured his emotional reaction to a double rainbow near Yosemite. His three-and-a-half-minute display of awe, repeatedly asking "What does this mean?" resonated deeply with viewers worldwide after Jimmy Kimmel highlighted it in July 2010, skyrocketing views from 800 to over 51 million today. Before this, Bear shared snippets of his life on YouTube, documenting his diverse experiences as a firefighter, truck driver, and even an aspiring cage fighter. Despite his viral fame, he never monetized the "Double Rainbow" video, considering it sacred, and continued authentic storytelling on his channel, Hungrybear9562. Bear passed away in May 2020 at age 57, but his legacy lives on through his scheduled uploads and the enduring impact of his genuine joy and connection with nature.
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00:00There's a handful of sacred videos that constitute the canon of classic YouTube.
00:08Undoubtedly among them is Double Rainbow.
00:10Imagine it's January 8th, 2010, and Paul Bear Vasquez, a firefighter turned trucker
00:15turned Yosemite farmer, spots a double rainbow stretching majestically across the sky.
00:20With a heartfelt, whoa, Bear begins his emotional journey, capturing the pure, unfiltered awe
00:25that would soon make him a beloved internet legend.
00:32Paul Vasquez caught something rare that day, and his reaction was nothing short of mesmerizing.
00:37For nearly three and a half minutes, he gazes at the vibrant arches, his emotions fluctuating
00:41between ecstatic joy and profound spiritual wonder.
00:45Between tears and laughter, he repeatedly asks, what does this mean?
00:51It's a question that resonated deeply with viewers worldwide, turning his simple moment
00:55of awe into a viral sensation.
00:57Before this iconic clip, Bear had been sharing snippets of his life on YouTube.
01:01However, it wasn't until July 2010 that his life took a turn.
01:04Jimmy Kimmel stumbled upon Bear's double rainbow and declared it the funniest video in the
01:08world, catapulting it from a modest 800 views to a staggering million in just a few days.
01:16Fast forward 14 years, and his excited whooping still resonates, with over 51 million views
01:21today.
01:22Schmoyoho created one of the first viral remixes of Double Rainbow when they auto-tuned the
01:26original clip into a song.
01:28It initially gained more viral traction than Vasquez's own video.
01:37While other viral sensations, like Rebecca Black's Friday, were often shared for their
01:40cringeworthy content, Bear's genuine joy made it nearly impossible to hate on him.
01:45His infectious enthusiasm became a beacon of positivity among the noise of the internet.
01:49But Bear wasn't just a one-hit wonder.
01:51Born in East LA to a bus driver father, he served as a firefighter before moving to Yosemite,
01:56where he worked jobs ranging from security officer to EMT.
01:59His life took another unexpected turn when he became a truck driver.
02:02Gaining 200 pounds, Bear decided to lose weight and pursue his dream of cage fighting, although
02:07he lost the only match he ever fought in.
02:09Despite the ups and downs, Bear remained dedicated to sharing his life on YouTube.
02:13His channel, HungryBear9562, offered viewers a glimpse into his serene farm life, his deep
02:18connection to Yosemite, and his loving relationship with his partner.
02:21Tragically, Bear passed away in May 2020 at the age of 57.
02:25The exact cause of his death remains unknown, but a post on his Facebook account a few days
02:29prior indicated that he had been tested for the coronavirus and was suffering from an
02:32undisclosed ailment.
02:34Another Facebook post from a few days before his death showed Bear joking about how excited
02:38he was to be reincarnated.
02:40In one of his videos from 2019, Bear estimates that he probably has over a decade's worth
02:44of videos scheduled for upload in the event of his death.
02:47And it's true, Bear's legacy lives on through his channel's near-daily uploads, allowing
02:51fans to continue following his journey.
02:53Important to note, Bear never monetized Double Rainbow and considered it sacred.
02:57Instead, he focused on authentic storytelling and connection with his fans through countless
03:01interviews and videos.