{"id":2099049,"date":"2025-10-18T00:58:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T00:58:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2099049"},"modified":"2025-10-18T00:58:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T00:58:05","slug":"popular-peoria-tiktok-comedian-has-died-according-to-his-wife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/popular-peoria-tiktok-comedian-has-died-according-to-his-wife\/","title":{"rendered":"Popular Peoria TikTok comedian has died, according to his wife"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">PEORIA \u2014\u00a0In October 2024, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/peoria-residents-comedy-character-sketch-083330406.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Steve Bridges;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Steve Bridges<\/a> talked about his wife and three kids, including 9-year-old twins. He talked about settling down in Peoria and shooting his comic video sketches that were turning viral on TikTok.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">That voice and talent was silenced this week at age 41, leaving his wife, Chelsey, to post an emotional announcement on social media on Friday, Oct. 17.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;My name is Chelsey and I&#8217;ve been Steve&#8217;s wife and partner for the last 16 years,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;m really sorry to get on and tell you this. I think if I wait any longer, I&#8217;m not gonna be able to do it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Actor, comedian, and viral TikTok and Instagram rising star Steve Bridges, who now produces his character sketch videos while living in Peoria.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">How did Steve Bridges die?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Chelsey said Steve died peacefully in his sleep at home on Wednesday, although an official cause of death is not known. TMZ reports the Peoria Police Department responded to a &#8220;natural cause of death call&#8221; at a private residence. Chelsey also <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/10\/17\/tiktok-comedian-steve-bridges-dead\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:told the news outlet;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">told the news outlet<\/a> that three of Steve&#8217;s relatives also died in their 40s and 50s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/honor-steve-bridges-support-his-loved-ones?attribution_id=sl:1f736857-159d-4049-8c06-d1193987c5ae&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1760723174&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp17_ta&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=instagram_story\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:GoFundMe page;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">GoFundMe page<\/a> is under way to help the family, and as of Friday evening it was approaching $40,000.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;He was the most attentive father,&#8221; Chelsey said. &#8220;And the best, the best husband. And the greatest, sweetest man. And thanks to you, Internet, he&#8217;s been able to live his dream of making people laugh. And I am so thankful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I&#8217;m so thankful that he got to do that. I have so much more I want to say about him. I have so many stories. We have so many plans.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Friend and filmmaker Eric Mathis <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/tvshowbiz\/article-15203271\/TikTok-comedian-Steve-Bridges-dead-wife.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:told The Daily Mail;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">told The Daily Mail<\/a> Steve his &#8220;brother from another mother,&#8221; saying everyone who met him had loves him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;He was so kind, so genuine, so passionate about his art,&#8221; Mathis said, &#8220;and infectious in his many amazing traits.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">International news outlets reported Steve&#8217;s death, including <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/tvshowbiz\/article-15203271\/TikTok-comedian-Steve-Bridges-dead-wife.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:The Daily Mail;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">The Daily Mail<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/10\/17\/tiktok-comedian-steve-bridges-dead\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:TMZ;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">TMZ<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tiktok-comedian-steve-bridges-dead-at-41-11832187\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:People Magazine;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">People Magazine<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/steve-bridges-dead-at-41-tiktok-comedian-was-found-by-his-wife\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Us Weekly.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Us Weekly.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Who is Steve Bridges?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Bridges made his mark as a comic sketch artist, developing characters named &#8220;Junior&#8221; and &#8220;Dirty Dan&#8221; and others who ranged from obnoxious to sympathetic. He sometimes used Peoria landmarks as a setting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Bridges&#8217; comedy collected 400,000 followers on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stevebridges__\/?igsh=MThoZ2F0dmRoOTIydQ%3D%3D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Instagram<\/a> and over 2 million on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@stevebridges\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:TikTok;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">TikTok<\/a>. He had another 10,000-plus on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCJOt0jeLH_US4TJaO9SR3Dg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:YouTube;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He grew up in Portland, Oregon, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/peoria-residents-comedy-character-sketch-083330406.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:told the Journal Star;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">told the Journal Star<\/a> stories of a childhood that ended up in foster care.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/peoria-residents-comedy-character-sketch-083330406.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:How a Peoria resident's comedy character sketch videos have gone viral across social media;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">How a Peoria resident&#8217;s comedy character sketch videos have gone viral across social media<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">How did he find his way to Peoria?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;My wife saw a TikTok by a creator named Angie, talking about how cheap the housing was around here,&#8221; Bridges said in October. &#8220;So we came out here.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Bridges&#8217; career dreams included appearing on iconic sketch comedy show &#8220;Saturday Night Live.&#8221; And transitioning from being a comedian, to flat-out being an actor. His most popular character, Junior, was scheduled to head to the big screen with him. Bridges had been signed to portray Junior in a romantic comedy he expected to start shooting in the spring of 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I would love to be able to do movies and support my ambitions,&#8221; Bridges said. &#8220;But I feel like I will always make these little videos, been doing them since the 90s. Finally, something hit that I had made.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men&#8217;s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>This article originally appeared on Journal Star: <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pjstar.com\/story\/news\/2025\/10\/17\/tiktok-comedian-steve-bridges-peoria-illinois-dies-age-41\/86756520007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Viral TikTok comedian Steve Bridges, Peoria resident dies at 41;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Viral TikTok comedian Steve Bridges, Peoria resident dies at 41<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PEORIA \u2014\u00a0In October 2024, Steve Bridges talked about his wife and three kids, including 9-year-old twins. He talked about settling down in Peoria and shooting his comic video sketches that were turning viral on TikTok. That voice and talent was silenced this week at age 41, leaving his wife, Chelsey, to post an emotional announcement [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2099050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[396600,386981,396601,396599,22488],"class_list":["post-2099049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-chelsey","tag-peoria","tag-peoria-police-department","tag-steve-bridges","tag-tiktok"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Popular-Peoria-TikTok-comedian-has-died-according-to-his-wife.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2099049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2099049"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2099049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2099051,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2099049\/revisions\/2099051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2099050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2099049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2099049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2099049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}