Yesterday, there was some absolutely heartbreaking news that came from the people involved with the hit YouTube channel called Schaffrillas Productions. James Phyrillas, the head behind Schaffrillas, his friend Chris Schaffer, and his brother Patrick Phyrillas, were all involved in a car crash in Leigh County. While James survived and is in absolute critical condition, Chris and Patrick unfortunately passed away at the ages of 25 and 22. Chris and Patrick both played a big part in the success of Schaffrillas Productions and leaving a major impact in the YTP, Animation, and the overall YouTube community. This tragic news was first broken by Twitter account, @PerfectCutPoop.
First off, I’ll say that I do not watch Schaffrillas Productions. I’ve seen a handful of clips of their reviews through Twitter and such but never took the time to watch a whole video of theirs. I was however well aware of their existence and the impact they have had on film criticism and animation. The only connection I had from them was when I reference James himself on Twitter in my Strange World piece. However, the main reason I wanted to write this doesn’t have to do with the content of Schaffrillas Productions as a whole but how what has happen is a giant wake-up call in life that should not be glossed over in the slightest.
First off, having your life being taken away at the ages of 22 and 25 is far too young. No good noble person deserves to lose their life at that age. That is an age before someone even has the chance to peak with their live, just when they about to scratch the surface of a very promising future that awaits them. It’s cruel, unfair, and shows this is no video game world we live in. This is in fact the real world!
Secondly, no matter if James is able to recover physically and mentally from this terrible accident, I really hope fans of his do NOT take the time to bug him about future channel content. Let the man take all the time he needs to heal from all of this! By not only losing members that help made his channel a success but also his own brother and dear friend, things will never be the same for him again. There may even be a big chance he might never get over it and may decide to stop making YouTube content all together because two people that help his channel grow is now gone. Regardless, even though all of this should be clearly obvious to anyone with a human brain, this is something that should be stated nevertheless.
Thirdly, let this be a reminder of how short life can be and never take the time you spend with the ones you love for granted. You NEVER know when someone you love will be gone. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, or even 20+ years from now. Everyone will had to die at some point in their lives, you just never know when. The next time you interact with someone you care deeply about, let them know how much they mean to you. Even if it may not seem like a big moment right now, it will surely last in the future when the unthinkable happens and they are now a part of history. Always treasure every moment with the people you love because you never know when it will be your very last spend with them.
To finish this off, I’ll end this by saying that I wish James Schaffrillas the most speedy recovery imaginable. What happened to his brother and friend is absolutely horrible and I surely hope that the too of them rest in peace! You should feel proud with what the three of you were able to achieve as content creators in YouTube and I only hope the impact that Schaffrillas Productions has had continues to grow and inspire others for the better. If James is able to make it through all of this and is still breathing, then I encourage him to take all the time that he needs to recover and do what he thinks is best for himself for the future. Don’t feel the need to force yourself to do something because you think you have to do! Do what you think is right for yourself! That’s the best that any of us could ask for!
Once again, RIP Chris Schaffer and Patrick Phyrillas!
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