The skateboarder and YouTuber was one of four people killed after a small plane crashed into Lake Thingvallavatn in Iceland last week. He was 22 years old.
Local authorities confirmed that the body of the rising social media star was discovered in the water on Sunday after a search. The bodies were unable to be recovered due to poor weather conditions.
Belgian skydiver and social media influencer Nicola Bellavia, 32, and Tim Alings, 27, sponsorship manager for the Belgian fashion brand Suspicious Antwerp were also killed along with the pilot, Haraldur Diego, 49.
The Cessna 172 plane disappeared from radar during its flight on Thursday February 3 without sending a distress signal. It took off from a domestic airport in Reykjavik.
Neuman, who had 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube, posted an insightful Instagram post discussing his quest for “mental clarity” and “happiness” just two weeks before the fatal crash.
“I’ve been taking this past month to really work on finding better balance in my life,” he wrote alongside a photo of him sitting on the edge of a skyscraper.
“Putting my phone down more often, being present, and not always feeling like I have to be productive,” he continued. “It’s definitely been a work in progress but I’ve already seen a major improvement in my overall mental clarity and happiness.”
Neuman said he was excited to learn how to surf and noted his upcoming trips and projects,.
He finished his caption with a callout to his fans: “If you’ve read this far, what are some of your goals for 2022? How are they going so far? Feel free to comment or DM me—would love to hear.”
Neuman’s family has released a statement saying the skateboarder “died doing what he loved” and noted that he experienced the “best night of his life” right before his death as he got to see the Northern Lights in Iceland.
His parents and brother said in their statement shared to his Instagram that he “represents the side of humanity we all strive to achieve.”
“Josh was a doer, a dreamer and a gentle soul that saw the world through an opportunistic lens and took advantage of every moment while inspiring millions along the way,” the statement reads.
“The entire world mourns with us as we are devastated and heartbroken to announce that our son…has suddenly left us.”
They added: “Josh represents the side of humanity we all strive to achieve. The way he not just touched, but impacted lives, was on a scale of its own.”
“In his quest for adventure, thirst for creativity and passion for personal reflection, he truly impacted all those he touched.”
